Final PREVIEW: Next Gen ATP Finals 2025 as Learner Tien aims for redemption against dazzling debutant Alexander Blockx

Ironically given the season begins again in just over a week but the season closer is on Sunday 21 December as the Next Gen ATP Finals takes place at the King Abdallah Sports City in Jeddah with Learner Tien set to face off against Alexander Blockx. We run the rule over the leading duo.

For Tien, it is redemption in many ways. This week so far he lost his first game and had to rebound, he also came into this week as the rank favourite and in reality was expected to lift the title especially given he is an ATP title winner and was the top name after Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca decided to withdraw from proceedings.

There is also a subplot as Tien was defeated by Blockx in the 2023 Australian Open boys' final winning a dramatic third set tie-break 11-9. It was a glimpse perhaps of what is to come today in Jeddah and one that remains engrained in Tien's memory.

“The only thing I remember is that it was the most heartbreaking loss of my life up to that point,” Tien said as per ATP. “We’ve obviously both improved a lot since then. I’ll have to rest up and form a new game plan. Hopefully I can come out well tomorrow. I think it will be a really tough match.”

Albeit while their paths crossed as juniors they have gone different ways in regards to their senior careers with Blockx always a player with promise but not breaking out yet. While Tien who is now World No.28 won his first ATP Tour title in Metz last month and has earned five wins over top 10 players in 2025. He is the only top 100 player in the field in Jeddah after Fonseca and Mensik decided to snub the event.

Perhaps the call for a change to the event with it set to move after the next year and while it perhaps is an indictment of a bit of a changing of the guard in regards to the big three leaving, Sinner and Alcaraz now dominating and the rest not breaking through it semi serves as a metaphor that Tien is the only player who is already an established name to even play this event.

Albeit all said and done, Blockx is up for the fight. “Against Learner, it would be a really epic one after Australia two years ago,” Blockx said. “I like to play against lefties, but to be honest, I don’t care who I’m playing tomorrow, it’s going to be fun.”

Throughout this week though, Tien has not had it easy at all and has dropped his serve 10 times en route to the final. Blockx has only been broken five times and the American despite being favourite on paper due to his higher rank in particular, he will need a tighter game befitting of his experience levels.

“I didn’t feel super settled in when I got here,” said Tien. “It’s not like everyone’s super match fit, especially with the different format. It throws you off. I think it helped a little bit [reaching the final last year] but I wouldn’t say it’s made a huge difference.”

He lost to Rafael Jodar in his opener albeit he rebounded nicely to take down Budkov Kjaer and Martin Landaluce. Blockx on the other hand has been unbeaten. He beat Dino Prizmic, Nishesh Basavareddy (the only other player who was also involved last year) and Justin Engel - a late replacement for Jakub Mensik.

Even in the semi-finals, it was comfortably as such as he won two tie-breaks and then won the final set 4-2 to see off Budkov Kjaer to reach the final. The Dane was an impressive force this week but the Belgian has shown a steely determination which has stood him in good stead.

Albeit it is not only the wins but also the friendships that the Belgian has made with his fellow rising stars that perhaps mean the most. “It would definitely mean a lot,” Blockx said. “But what means the most is that I had so much fun this week. I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I also got closer to the guys, who are all very nice. Relationships off the court are very important. I feel like my week couldn’t have gone any better, so I am just happy with all the matches I’ve had."

While he is not there yet in his senior career, he is likely next for a breakthrough and given the previous winners of this event, he is likely to be next. Tien can attest to that even though he hasn't won it. He catapulted from rising star to tricky fringe contender within the year. Blockx won two Challenger titles and has risen to a career high of World No.101 in 2025. He could net $539,750 just for winning this title which given he has only ever earner $30,000 less than that overall, it would be huge.

While for Tien, it is about scooping a title that he let slip through his fingers last year when he faced Joao Fonseca in the final and albeit there is semi an asterisk without the main names there, it will close a chapter of his career in style knowing he is the champion.

But while it's been a week of grind, it has also been adapting to a different format that Next Gen has which he mooted earlier in the week.

“I'm not sure if it's the format and it might just be me, but I feel like this week I've been struggling to focus in some of these matches,” Tien told ATPTour.com. “My mind just kind of goes in and out, especially when I get up in the score, and with this format, momentum can change really quick.

“I get up and then I take a few points off and suddenly we're in a no-Ad point and momentum just shifts so quickly that suddenly you can lose a set off of one game.”