Next Gen ATP Finals Round-Up | Learner Tien topples Budkov Kjaer to reach Jeddah semi-finals

Learner Tien has defeated Nicolai Budkov Kjaer to reach the semi-finals of the Next Gen ATP Finals albeit for the Dane that loss matters little as he is also through to the semi-finals too.

Tien who was the favourite for the title before the tournament began suffered an early setback with an opening defeat but he rallied to win the next two. He defeated Budkov Kjaer to secure his spot 3-4(2), 4-1, 4-2, 4-2 to win the Blue Group with a 2-1 round robin record. 

He reached the final last year and now faces off against compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy. When Budkov Kjaer won the opening set though, that was enough to seal a spot in the last four. Tien needed either a three or four set victory to advance, he did just that.

He produced a superb display dictating rallies from the baseline as he often does and the lefty bamboozled the Dane with his second serve winning 13/17 points on it. He lost to Rafael Jodar earlier in the week who saved four match points to escape. Jodar needed a result Friday to advance. Tien rebounded after with wins over Martin Landaluce and Budkov Kjaer.

“Not really,” Tien said on pressure after the match as per ATP. “It’s a longer format, three out of five, the sets can go by quick… I thought I served pretty well the whole match, I didn’t get broken in the first set and he played a good tie-break. I didn’t feel like I played a bad set, so I wasn’t super worried.

“I think I’m adjusting to the conditions and getting a little bit better day by day, so I’m happy with that. This is my last year here, so I’m really trying to make the most out of it.”

But it was not Jodar who moved through in fact it was Alexander Blockx who will face off against Budkov Kjaer in the red group semi-finals. Jodar did all he could as he took out Landaluce winning through 4-3(7), 4-1, 4-3(2). He hit 31 winners across the match and he fended off four set points to begin the opener. A friend off the court he did all he could on it to not let that dictate proceedings. Even having his idol Rafael Nadal in attendance wasn't a vehicle to throw him off.

"I'm very happy how I handled the important moments and the pressure moments in this match," said Jodar. "Super happy to get the win here. I've been playing against him for a long time. We are very good friends. We are from the same tennis club, Club de Tenis Chamartin."

“Rafa (Nadal) has been my idol for a long time, since I was very young. I used to watch all of his matches. He was my role model in tennis. I’m super happy that he was here. It means a lot that he came to Saudi Arabia to watch this tournament.”

Blockx earlier in the day had seen off Dino Prizmic to book his spot in a 4-3, 2-4, 4-2, 4-0 with the Belgian into the latter stages to face Budkov Kjaer. While Basavareddy took down rising German Justin Engel in a 4-3, 4-2, 4-3 win which was tighter than the 3-0 scoreline suggested.

“I didn’t look at any of that [the permutations],” Basavreddy said. “In the third set, I was thinking maybe if I win this in straight sets it would be better for my cause, but before the match, I was just trying to prepare the best I could for this match.”

Onto the semi-finals tomorrow and the top seed and favourite for the title is very much still in contention for top prize in Jeddah.