Next Gen Stars Trade Rackets for Red Sea Waves

Under Jeddah’s unyielding sun, the eight qualifiers for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF hit Silver Sands Beach, where laughter mingled with the crash of waves. This wasn’t downtime for its own sake; it was a deliberate unwind after a year of relentless circuits, from Challenger grinds to the mental marathon of breakthroughs. Jet skis carved turquoise paths, barbecues crackled with shared stories, all timed just two days before round-robin play ignites at King Abdullah Sports City.

The air hummed with easy camaraderie among these 20-and-under talents, rivals who now traded baseline stares for beachside banter. Their off-court bonds, forged in junior ranks, hinted at the psychological reset needed for the event’s fast indoor hard courts, where quick feet and sharp angles decide fates.

“Jeddah is a reward for the hard work this year, so it’s definitely fun to wrap it up here with some good friends and to play with these guys,” said Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, who won four ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2025.

Season’s grip loosens in the surf

For Budkov Kjaer, the beach offered a breather from the tactical duels that defined his year—those extended rallies where a well-timed inside-out forehand flipped momentum. He’d turned Challenger pressure into four titles, but the isolation of solo sessions lingered until this group photo and water antics washed it away. Here, amid Silver Sands’ pristine sands and clear waters, the focus eased from serve patterns to simple joys, priming minds for the round-robin’s psychological chess.

The event splits them into two groups of four for Wednesday through Friday action, with semis on Saturday and the final Sunday. Every crosscourt exchange or unforced error will echo through standings, demanding the resilience that past champions like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Stefanos Tsitsipas harnessed to thrive.

Friendships sharpen competitive edges

Spanish pair Martin Landaluce and Rafael Jodar splashed through the surf, their bond stretching back to age nine on local courts. What started as playground groundstrokes evolved into pro-level stakes, yet their shared history fueled a comfort that lets them scout each other’s games without tension. In their group matchup, Landaluce plans to blend that ease with aggressive 1–2 patterns, turning familiarity into an on-court advantage.

“it’s fun because we’ve known each other since we were nine years old, and now we are back together in Jeddah. We’re gonna play in the same group so I’ll try to enjoy this match,” Landaluce said, his tone light but eyes already mapping the hard court’s bounce.

“it’s fun because we’ve known each other since we were nine years old, and now we are back together in Jeddah. We’re gonna play in the same group so I’ll try to enjoy this match.”

Beyond the waves, extensive media sessions with Saudi and international outlets probed their shifts to Jeddah’s pacey surface—adjusting heavy topspin for quicker points, mixing slice defenses with down-the-line passes. These talks, like the barbecue chatter, built a collective rhythm, where off-court trust translates to bolder risks under the arena lights.

Waves foreshadow hard-court fire

Silver Sands’ relaxed elegance doubled as informal prep, players exchanging glances over jet skis that previewed rival tendencies on the indoor hard courts. The format’s intensity—no fifth sets, just rapid tempo—rewards those who channel season-long lessons into precise execution, like countering a deep return with an inside-in winner. As the sun set on the Red Sea, this retreat sharpened their mental edges, setting up a tournament where bonds bend but drive the fight forward.

See Day 1 schedule for the openers, where these young guns will turn beach calm into competitive roar, chasing the legacy of Alcaraz’s flair and Sinner’s steel.