Rising Through Reinvention: Prizmic, Tien and Budkov Kjaer
In the grind of 2025’s ATP circuit, Dino Prizmic, Learner Tien and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer turn injuries and adjustments into weapons, their paths converging on Jeddah’s stage with games built for the long haul.
Under the glare of packed stands at Challenger events across Europe and beyond, three young players from Croatia, America and Norway chase the same elusive edge. Dino Prizmic, Learner Tien and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer burst onto the ATP scene not as flawless prospects but as adapters, their early careers etched by pauses, pivots and quiet evolutions. What binds them is a drive to refine amid the tour’s relentless rhythm, where a single tweak can shift momentum from baseline to breakthrough.
Rebounding from the sidelines
A wrist injury in 2024 sidelined Prizmic for months, the pain sharper after his qualifier run at the Australian Open where he stole a set from Novak Djokovic. Those idle weeks tested resolve, but returning in 2025, the 20-year-old Croatian seized two ATP Challenger Tour titles and carved into the quarterfinals on Umag’s clay, his backhand now whipping crosscourt with added bite. Footwork honed during rehab lets him glide into position for inside-out forehands, pulling opponents off balance before finishing down the line.
“When I had injury with my wrist, that was a very tough moment because I stopped with the tennis for a couple of months and after that, we solved that problem and I’m happy to be back and really pleased with what I could do in 2025,“ Prizmic told ATPTour.com.
His approach stays grounded: play instinctively, eyes locked on the next point rather than the scoreboard. Match mornings start with music to fire the legs, a ritual that clears the mind for the tactical flow—aggressive serves setting up one–two patterns that exploit weak returns. As he steps into the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF this month, that simplicity could unravel more seasoned games under Jeddah’s lights.
Powering through constant tweaks
Nicolai Budkov Kjaer brings a surge of energy to every court, the 19-year-old Norwegian fresh from four Challenger titles in 2025 and a tour-level victory in Bastad. Crowned Wimbledon Boys’ singles champion in 2024, he refined his 125 mph serve mid-season with his father’s guidance, adding spin variations that curve away from returners on the deuce side. This evolution turned potential into results, his groundstrokes now firing flat crosscourts to keep rallies short and forceful.
Training blocks with the Nitto ATP Finals field, including warming up Jannik Sinner in Turin, sharpened his sense of pace against elite hitters. He draws fire from Casper Ruud’s path, proof that Nordic grit can scale global heights. “Someone watching me for the first time can expect a modern tennis game,” Budkov Kjaer told ATPTour.com in October. “A powerful serve, fast balls from both sides. I try to bring energy to the court, we’re in the entertainment business.”
“I need to improve all areas of my game,” Budkov Kjaer admitted. “Tennis is a continuous improvement process. I think all the best players always reinvent their game, maybe especially after losing and learning.”
That cycle of adjustment fuels his rise, blending raw power with smarter placement—like underspin slices to disrupt rhythm on faster surfaces. In Jeddah, his high-octane style promises to electrify tiebreaks, where a well-placed second serve can flip the script on defensive foes.
Mastering the mental chessboard
Learner Tien thrives where points unfold like puzzles, the American at a career-high No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings after clinching Metz and reaching the Beijing final in 2025. He doesn’t blast through matches but dissects them, adapting from the first ball with game plans that target backhand weaknesses via deep crosscourt rallies. Daily work on his forehand adds topspin for clay grip, while serve tweaks widen angles on hard courts, holding at crucial junctures.
Prep happens upfront to sidestep pre-match nerves, keeping his focus on the unfolding exchange rather than hypotheticals. He pulls strengths from across the tour, no single model in mind, just a mosaic of effective shots. “I really enjoy the tactical aspect,” Tien told ATPTour.com. “You go out with a game plan and you adapt from the first point. You’re problem-solving around what the other guy is giving you, and he’s doing the same to you. I think that’s really fun.”
“I wouldn’t say I’m someone who often blows people off the court,” said Tien. “But I do a great job of adapting and problem-solving.”
His calm unravels opponents in extended rallies, shifting to inside-in forehands off short balls to seize control. “Preparation is done before tournaments,” Tien explained. “During events, it’s just maintaining what you have. I don’t like thinking too much before matches, sometimes that stresses me out. I just keep things simple.” As these three collide in Jeddah, their blended paths—from Prizmic’s steady return, Budkov Kjaer’s explosive drive, to Tien’s sharp mind—hint at a Next Gen wave redefining resilience. “I have no ego about acknowledging other players’ strengths and trying to take what I can,” he concluded. This story caps the Next in Line series, building on Wimbledon dreams, Nishikori’s run & Vinci’s courtside lessons: Next Gen stars share memories, Next Steps: How Tien, Basavareddy & Engel are making the leap, Learning from Legends: Nadal, Cilic & Ram inspiring #NextGenATP stars, Fuel for the future: Inside the mindset of the best youngsters, The voices driving Landaluce & Cina to the top, and The Fierce Feuds lighting up the latest Next Gen wave, all eyes now on how these adapters seize the finals’ intensity.
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