Next Gen Round-Up | Alexander Blockx and Budkov-Kjaer virtually secured in semis, Tien keeps hopes alive

Day Two of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals is complete, leaving two players with their spots in the semifinals practically locked in: Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (Blue Group) and Alexander Blockx (Red Group), after both secured their second consecutive victories in the tournament.

However, the Round Robin format keeps the mystery alive until the end, and nothing is guaranteed yet. First seed Learner Tien earned his first win of the tournament this Thursday, keeping his qualification hopes alive. Meanwhile, those in the toughest position are Spaniard Martín Landaluce and German Justin Engel, both of whom need a decisive victory on Friday, along with favorable outside results, to advance to the next round.

The day opened with Croatia's Dino Prizmic (No. 128) facing young Justin Engel (No. 187)—the youngest player in the draw as the only player born in 2007 to qualify. Both players were coming off opening-match losses, though Prizmic seemed the slight favorite given his higher ranking and experience at the top level. The first set was decided in just 19 minutes after an early break allowed the Croat to take the set on his third set point.

In the second set, Engel responded—despite struggling significantly with his serve—and managed to level the score. He continued this momentum into a tight third set that went to a tie-break. There, Prizmic took the lead and seized the momentum, comfortably taking the fourth set to close out his first victory of the tournament. While the first-serve win percentages were similar (76% for Prizmic vs. 72% for Engel), the major difference lay in the second serve (60% for the Croat against just 32% effectiveness for the German).

The second match was an interesting duel between two players with ATP Tour experience who had both won their opening matches. Fighting for the group lead, the differences were minimal in the first two sets. Blockx (No. 116) appeared more dominant on serve, while Basavareddy (No. 167) relied on longer rallies to keep pace. The American recovered from a break down in the first set, but the Belgian ultimately claimed the tie-break.

The second set featured no breaks, but Basavareddy squandered his advantage—missing three set points—allowing Blockx to recover and again take the set in a tie-break [10-8]. With the momentum fully on his side, Blockx dominated the final set thanks to a single early break. The Belgian is virtually qualified, not only due to his two wins but also thanks to a strong set and game differential. He will look to solidify the top spot in the group this Friday when he faces Prizmic.

Norway’s Budkov Kjaer (No. 136) left a strong impression on Day One against Landaluce and looked imposing once again. The Norwegian is emerging as a firm title contender, backed by a high level of serving and remarkable bravery when attacking the net in crucial moments. Against Jodar (No. 168), he took control from the start, breaking his opponent’s serve four times across the first two sets to take a 4-1, 4-2 lead.

Jodar had struggled against an opponent who converted 4/4 break points, while the Spaniard only converted 1/4 of his chances. Jodar mounted a reaction in the third set, partly due to a slight lapse in concentration from Budkov Kjaer, who seemed to feel the match was already won. However, the fourth set was the most contested; though it was more even than the previous sets, Budkov Kjaer eventually converted a single break point to secure the victory without further complications.

Both Tien (No. 28) and Landaluce (No. 134) entered the court needing a win to stay in contention. The Spaniard was the first to take the lead with a single break following an erratic start from his opponent. However, Tien managed to react starting in the second set, and the match gradually tilted in his favor.

While Tien leveled the match in the second set via a break, he had to rely on a tie-break in the third to take the lead. The Top 30 player and last year’s Next Gen runner-up demonstrated his superior experience and composure against the talented Spaniard. Capitalizing on the momentum, he secured an early break in the fourth set, but squandered three match points on his serve while leading 3-1, 40-0.

Landaluce showed great fieriness to fight back, recover the break, and send the set to a tie-break. This time, however, Tien showed the conviction to go for the win and closed out the victory without further setbacks, closing out a victory that keeps him alive. He will need a win on the final day of the group stage to guarantee his passage to the semifinals.