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Next Gen ATP Finals Photos: Best images from Tien vs. Blockx title match in Jeddah

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2025

The 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF concluded Sunday in Jeddah, where Learner Tien defeated Alexander Blockx 4-3(4), 4-2, 4-1 to clinch the title after having finished runner-up last year.

With the win, Tien became the third No. 1 seed to triumph at the prestigious 20-and-under event, joining Stefanos Tsitsipas (2018) and Carlos Alcaraz (2021).

View some of the best photos from the final below. All photo credits belong to Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour.

<img alt=”Learner Tien poses with the Next Gen ATP Finals winner trophy.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/19/50/tien-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-trophy-shot.jpg?w=100%25″ />
Tien poses with the Next Gen ATP Finals winner’s trophy in Jeddah.

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx congratulates Learner Tien at the net after Tien defeated him in the final.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/12/blockx-tien-next-gen-atp-finals-2025.jpg” />
Blockx congratulates Tien at the net after losing to the American.

<img alt=”Tien with agent Mats Merkel, coaches Erik Kortland and Michael Chang, and Chang’s son Micah.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/19/55/tien-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-final-team.jpg” />
Tien with agent Mats Merkel, coaches Erik Kortland and Michael Chang and Chang’s son Micah.

<img alt=”Learner Tien celebrates his Next Gen ATP Finals victory.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/09/tien-celebrates-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-win.jpg” />
Tien celebrates his title victory.

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx in action at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/18/18/blockx-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-reaction-image.jpg” />
Blockx in action.

<img alt=”Learner Tien in action in the final in Jeddah.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/16/tien-backhand-next-gen-atp-finals-2025.jpg” />
Tien in action.

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx reacts after winning a point in the Jeddah final.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/28/blockx-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-reacts.jpg” />
Blockx reacts after winning a point.

<img alt=”Learner Tien celebrates after winning the Jeddah title.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/22/tien-celerates-mext-gen-atp-finals-2025.jpg” />
Tien reacts after defeating Blockx.

<img alt=”Learner Tien poses with the ballkids after winning the title.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/21/20/43/ball-kids-tien-next-gen-atp-finals-2025.jpg” />
Tien celebrates his title victory with the ballkids.

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Tien turns promise into proof in Jeddah: 'I pulled it off'

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2025

Learner Tien had already begun to carve out his place on the ATP Tour, but his triumph at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF on Sunday delivered a far louder statement.

After defeat to Joao Fonseca in last year’s Jeddah final, the American carried that disappointment into a breakout 2025 season before returning to the 20-and-under showcase as the man to beat. But under mounting expectations, Tien showed maturity beyond his years, saving his finest tennis for a commanding 59-minute clinic over Alexander Blockx in the final.

“It’s very cool to be adding my name to the list of previous winners,” said Tien, who joined the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as champions of the event. “I think every player who has won this tournament has gone on to do very well, so it means a lot to be up there with those names.

“I’ve been waiting a year to hold this trophy… It feels great, especially after coming so close last year.”

A key pillar behind Tien’s rise has been his partnership with former World No. 2 Michael Chang, which began in August. Since then, Chang has helped guide the 20-year-old to his first ATP Tour title in Metz and a career-high ranking of World No. 28. Just as importantly, Chang’s family has become part of Tien’s support system — including Chang’s son Micah, who was courtside to cheer him on in the Jeddah final.

“Since we started working together, him and his whole family have given me so much support,” Tien said. “Micah has been there for a lot of my tournaments… It’s always nice to have him around. It adds a fun side — it makes the matches and some of these tense moments a little bit more lighthearted.”

The next wave of men’s tennis arrived in Jeddah armed with fearless shotmaking, eager to unsettle the World No. 28 and lone player inside the Top 100. Yet throughout the week, Tien underlined exactly why he has climbed so rapidly in 2025, blending variety, composure and a rock-solid all-court game to stay one step ahead of the field.

His path to the title was anything but straightforward. Tien endured a difficult start, squandering four match points in an opening loss to Rafael Jodar. With his campaign on the brink, he then faced a must-win clash against Nicolai Budkov Kjaer to escape the group. After dropping the first set, the American flipped the script, reeling off nine consecutive sets and carrying that momentum all the way to the title — fittingly avenging his 2024 final defeat.

“If I lost one more set in that match, I would have been eliminated,” Tien said of his four-set win over Budkov Kjaer. “After losing that first set, I won nine sets in a row, actually, so that’s cool. I’m very happy I was able to pull that off.”

Much of the attention in Jeddah centred on Blockx, widely tipped to crack the Top 100 in the near future, but Tien neutralised the Belgian’s explosive game with ease, delivering a one-sided final to close out the week in style.

With the Next Gen crown secured and his trajectory firmly pointing upward, Tien now turns his focus to 2026, where he is set to arrive at the Australian Open as a seeded player — no longer just a rising talent, but a proven force with his sights set on even bigger stages.

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Learner Tien tops the class at Next Gen ATP Finals

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2025

Learner Tien continued his rapid rise on Sunday in Jeddah, where he lifted the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF trophy to further cement his status as one of tennis’ most exciting young stars.

In a largely one-sided championship match at the prestigious 20-and-under event, the American defeated 20-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx 4-3(4), 4-2, 4-1, avenging his runner-up finish at the event a year ago in Saudi Arabia.

“I’m super happy,” Tien said about his 2025 season. “I was able to check a lot of boxes that I wanted to this year. I had a pretty long list of goals I wanted to hit, and I was able to get most of them. I’m really happy.”

The title run earned Tien $502,250 in prize money and saw him become just the third top seed to capture the title, following in the footsteps of Stefanos Tsitsipas (2018) and Carlos Alcaraz (2021).

Twelve months earlier, Tien had fallen in a four-set final to Brazil’s Joao Fonseca. Since then, the left-hander has gone from strength to strength. During an impressive 2025 campaign, he claimed his first ATP Tour title in Metz, notched five Top 10 victories, and surged to a career-high No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Tien will now look to build on that momentum in 2026, beginning at next month’s Australian Open, where he made headlines last year by becoming the youngest player to reach the fourth round in Melbourne since Rafael Nadal in 2005. Tien had coach Michael Chang by his side this week and will have the American with him when he travels to Australia.

“I don’t feel like he’s a coach that says a lot during matches,” Tien said of Chang. “But when he feels like I need to hear something, he’s never shying away from telling me, and I think that helps me a lot.”

[ATP APP]

In front of a lively crowd at King Abdullah Sports City, Blockx made an assured start, landing all 21 of his first serves in the opening set (and 24 overall). Yet even that level proved insufficient against Tien’s composure, as the American seized on a handful of loose forehands to edge the first-set tie-break and seize control of the match.

From there, it was one-way traffic, with Tien too consistent and dominant in the baseline exchanges to earn victory in 58 minutes. The lefty crucially saved two break points when serving for the match at 3-2 but was largely untroubled on delivery.

“I knew it was going to be a tough match… I don’t think he missed a first serve for the first set and a half,” said Tien. “I think he’s been playing great, so I’m just really happy to get through.”

Earlier this week, Tien suffered a surprising opening round-robin defeat to Rafael Jodar before he responded against Martin Landaluce. He then beat Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in four sets to reach the semi-finals and quickly dispatched countryman Nishesh Basavareddy to advance to the title match.

Despite his final defeat, Blockx can take plenty of positives from a standout week in Jeddah, where he recorded wins against Justin Engel, Basavareddy, Dino Prizmic and close friend Budkov Kjaer.

“I’ve had a lot of fun this week,” said Blockx. “Everything was amazing here — the organisation, the staff… I think it’s one of the best events I’ve been to and the crowd today was amazing, also.”

Ranked No. 116 in the PIF ATP Rankings and a two-time ATP Challenger Tour champion in 2025, Blockx also made history as the first Belgian to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals. While he had beaten Tien in the 2023 Australian Open boys’ singles final, the American reversed that result when it mattered most on Sunday.

Did You Know?
Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz are among the former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champions.

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Jeddah graduate Blockx has the game for Tour success

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2025

He didn’t win the day, but Jeddah finalist Alexander Blockx had a week to remember on debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

After four straight wins to reach the final of the 20-and-under showpiece in Saudi Arabia, there was no shame in defeat to World No. 28 Learner Tien in Sunday’s title match.

“I think my Serve +1 got a lot better this tournament and I will take that into the new season,” Blockx said. “I also managed the pressure moments really well this week which will give me more confidence on the Tour when I have to play important points in big moments.

“I had a great tournament and I had fun on court today in the final, even when I was losing. I was just trying to enjoy every moment because it’s the last time I’ll ever experience a match like this. I had a few chances to break him back in the final game and that put a smile on my face. It’s been a really fun 10-11 days that I have been here in Jeddah.”

[ATP APP]

Throughout the week Blockx showcased a game well suited for success on the ATP Tour in future years: Impactful serving, ample power from the baseline and impressive movement for a young man standing 6’4”.

He clubbed 125 winners across five matches – including 50 aces – and dropped serve just seven times across five matches. The World No. 116 started the final putting 24 consecutive first serves into play, including a perfect 21-0 mark in the first set.

“It wasn’t a plan to go for a high percentage of first serves or for placement,” he said. “He was returning very well close to the baseline even though I was really going for it. I tried to serve with a lot of variety and sometimes you have matches where you make a lot of first serves.”

Blockx, who defeated Tien in the 2023 Australian Open boys’ final in a dramatic third-set tie-break 11-9, will now undergo a training week in Dubai before beginning his 2026 season at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Canberra and Australian Open qualifying.

The first Belgian finalist in Next Gen ATP Finals history, Blockx won two Challenger titles this year (Oeiras-3 and Bratislava-2).

“Even though it’s been a very good week I’m going to get back to training next week and get ready for the new season,” Blockx said.

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Charlie Robertson, Murray's protege, using Next Gen ATP Finals as springboard

  • Posted: Dec 21, 2025

Charlie Robertson, who has spent formative time with his idol and former World No. 1 Andy Murray, has never lacked a benchmark for what it takes to reach the top of the game.

This week in Jeddah, however, the 19-year-old Scot is finding fresh motivation at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, where he is gaining invaluable experience as a hitting partner. Surrounded by the sport’s brightest 20-and-under talents, Robertson is using the opportunity as a fuel for his own ambitions.

“Being here gives me inspiration, 100 per cent,” Robertson told ATPTour.com on centre court in Jeddah, in between practice sessions with Nishesh Basavareddy and Alexander Blockx. “Just being around everyone here is really special. Seeing people here who I’ve competed with in juniors, it gives me that extra motivation after this to try and make it here next year. That would be pretty cool.”

Robertson has bumped into familiar faces from his junior days, including Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, the Norwegian who edged him in the semi-finals of last year’s US Open boys’ singles event and has since surged to four ATP Challenger Tour titles in 2025.

Another compelling reminder of what can be achieved in a short space of time is Rafael Jodar, whose rise offers a tangible pathway Robertson hopes to emulate. After serving as a hitting partner in Jeddah last year and beginning 2025 ranked World No. 895 — 30 places lower than where Robertson currently sits — the Spaniard climbed more than 700 spots across the season to secure his place in the field.

“Seeing how the tournament works here and just playing a big tournament, I think it’s good motivation,” said Robertson, who reached his first ATP Challenger Tour semi-final last month in Egypt. “I’m learning things every day from watching everyone play. As long as I’m just focused and doing the right things, I believe in myself that I can get there.”

Robertson’s path into tennis began almost organically, tagging along to lessons with his brother and sister even before he was old enough to get involved himself. What started as hitting balls against the wall quickly turned into competition and steady progress.

Now 19 and competing as a sophomore for Wake Forest University, time and support remains on his side to continue developing — just as the player and countryman he grew up idolising once did.

“He’s really good at giving advice,” Robertson said of Murray, the three-time major champion. “If I ask him any questions, he gives me the honest answer and really what he thinks, and he’s given me a lot of advice in the past years. He’s been my biggest inspiration in tennis, so to hear that from him is incredible.”

[ATP APP]

Robertson also served as a hitting partner for Carlos Alcaraz at the ATP 500 at Queen’s Club last year. Yet even that pales in comparison to stepping on court with Andy and his brother Jamie Murray, both of whom have provided invaluable advice.

“I hit with Alcaraz at Queen’s and that was pretty special, but honestly, whenever I’m on court with Andy, it’s like the most special thing for me,” Robertson said. “It’s just crazy when I’m playing with Andy as I grew up watching him and then now I’m hitting with him.

“I actually hit a little bit more with Jamie when I was younger, but the Murray brothers… Just seeing them and seeing what they’ve done, especially being Scottish, is amazing.”

There are further parallels with Robertson and his idol in the team around him, with Matt Little — a longtime figure in Murray’s camp — now playing a key role in his own progression.

“He’s been a massive help for me,” Robertson said of the strength and conditioning coach. “He’s the best, I have so much respect for him. He does a really good job with me, so I’m really, really lucky to have him by my side.”

With inspiration all around him in Jeddah and a clear pathway taking shape, Robertson’s ambitions are becoming increasingly tangible. Armed with a focused mindset and a positive attitude, the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF could soon represent not just motivation, but a realistic destination.

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Tien faces unbeaten Blockx in Next Gen ATP Finals redemption bid

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2025

Who will be crowned tennis’ newest rising star at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah?

Top seeds Learner Tien and Alexander Blockx will square off in Sunday’s title match, scheduled for not before 8 p.m. AST (6 p.m. CET), after both players made compelling statements throughout the week. Armed with heavy groundstrokes from both wings, 6’4” debutant Blockx stormed into the final with a flawless 4-0 record, while Tien is finding his rhythm after a shaky start as he looks to make amends for his championship-match defeat to Joao Fonseca in 2024.

There is also a subtle but meaningful subplot to the final. Blockx defeated Tien in the 2023 Australian Open boys’ final, edging a dramatic third-set tie-break 11-9. It was a gripping encounter — perhaps a glimpse of what awaits in Jeddah — and one that remains etched in the American’s memory.

“The only thing I remember is that it was the most heartbreaking loss of my life up to that point,” Tien said with a laugh. “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.”

While the pair crossed paths in juniors, Sunday’s clash marks their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. It also represents the first final between the tournament’s top two seeds since 2021, when Carlos Alcaraz defeated Sebastian Korda in Milan.

Tien, the World No. 28, won his first ATP Tour title in Metz last month and has earned five wins over Top 10 players in 2025. The 20-year-old is also the only Top 100 player in the Jeddah field, but Blockx will be up for the fight.

“Against Learner, it would be a really epic one after Australia two years ago,” Blockx said before the outcome of Tien’s semi-final. “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.”

Tien has dropped his serve 10 times en route to the final, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Against the fearless-serving Blockx, who has been broken just five times this week, the American will need to tighten those numbers in Sunday’s decider.

Belgium’s Blockx, who has struck 107 winners across his four victories, has looked right at home in his debut appearance at the 20-and-under event. In contrast, Tien — one of only returners — has recovered from a slow start before finding some of his best tennis when it mattered most.

“I didn’t feel super settled in when I got here,” said Tien, who let slip four match points to Rafael Jodar in his opener. “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.”

Off the court, Blockx has made the most of his time in Jeddah, using the event as an opportunity to build friendships with his fellow competitors — an aspect he values highly.

“It would definitely mean a lot,” Blockx said about the possibility of winning the title. “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.”

Having won two ATP Challenger Tour titles and risen to a career-high No. 101 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2025, Blockx appears poised for a Top 100 breakthrough. Yet one more victory in Jeddah could reshape the course of his young career.

An undefeated title run could earn the 20-year-old $539,750, a sum exceeding his previous career prize money by more than $30,000. Standing in his way is Tien, who arrives with unfinished business of his own, determined to go one step further than last season and crown his 2025 breakthrough by lifting the trophy that slipped from his grasp in 2024.

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Tien returns to Next Gen ATP Finals title match, faces Blockx

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2025

Learner Tien returned to the title match at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF on Saturday in Jeddah, where he moved past friend Nishesh Basavareddy 4-2, 4-1, 4-3(3).

The American lost to Brazilian star Joao Fonseca in the final 12 months ago but will aim to go one step further on Sunday when he meets 20-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx. Returning to Jeddah as the top seed this year, Tien is the second man in tournament history to reach multiple finals at the event, joining World No. 7 Alex de Minaur (2018-19).

“I won the first and had chances in the second before he just ran away with it,” Tien said of his final defeat to Fonseca last year. “I will try not to let that happen tomorrow… I know Alex has been playing great this week, so I’m really excited.”

World No. 28 Tien arrived at the 20-and-under tournament as the strong favourite after a standout year, highlighted by his first tour-level title at the 250 event in Metz. However, he suffered a stuttering start to his campaign when he lost to Rafael Jodar in five sets in his round-robin opener.

[ATP APP]

With the pressure on, the lefty responded with wins against Martin Landaluce and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and was in control throughout the 75-minute semi-final encounter with Basavareddy, who received two medical timeouts for a deep cut on his finger.

In a controlled performance, Tien displayed the level that earned him five Top 10 wins in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He recovered from dropping serve in the opening game of the first two sets, dictating the tempo with clean baseline ball-striking. The 20-year-old committed six fewer unforced errors than Basavareddy (19-25) and struck at the right moments to prevail. Tien will play Blockx on Sunday at 8pm local time.

The 20-year-old Basavareddy, who went 2-1 in the round-robin stage, was joined by coach Gilles Cervara at a tournament for the first time since the pair joined forces at the start of December. Basavareddy’s best result in 2025 came at the ATP 250 event in Auckland, where he reached the semi-finals.

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Big-time Blockx fires past 'best friend' Budkov Kjaer into Jeddah final

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2025

Alexander Blockx moved to within one win of a debut title at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, thanks to another big-time performance on Saturday evening.

As well as deploying the explosive game that has defined his run in Jeddah, the 20-year-old Belgian showcased supreme physicality to fend off close friend Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 4-3(4), 4-3(8), 4-2. Blockx, who attended the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017 as a fan, now awaits top seed Learner Tien or Nishesh Basavareddy in Sunday’s final.

“I think it may have been straight sets but it was my most difficult match this week by far,” Blockx said. “I think the level we both played was really high. The second set, again it is just here that the luck fell on my side a bit. We had some very long rallies and I am very happy I could share this moment with him.

“We have been speaking about the Next Gen for a long time. In September we were talking: ‘Imagine if we made it to Jeddah and played each other there’, so it is amazing to have been able to share this match with him. He is one of my best friends on Tour so it was a really nice Saturday for me.”

In a first Lexus ATP Head2Head contest between the two big hitters, Blockx was dragged into a physical battle after winning the opening set. Budkov Kjaer extended the rallies and displayed shot tolerance of his own to signal there was still life left in the 19-year-old Norwegian.

The power of Blockx, however, proved too much. A blistering forehand pass on the run in the final game was one of 27 winners the Belgian hit during the semi-final, adding to the 76 he fired en route to a 3-0 sweep of the Red Group.

“It sounds exciting,” Blockx said on Sunday’s final. “I am going to prepare the best I can. I think physically I am feeling good, even though these are tough matches and you have shorter time between the points. The rallies go longer and with the no Ads you don’t have too much time to think, so I think the most important time here is to stay calm in the head and that is what I am doing.”

In 2025, Blockx captured two ATP Challenger Tour titles and claimed his first tour-level win in Cincinnati to earn his place at the 20-and-under event. The 2023 Australian Open boys’ champion also reached a career-high No. 101 in the PIF ATP Rankings and will be sure to target a Top 100 debut in 2026.

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Tien & Blockx reveal how the Next Gen ATP Finals format is testing their campaigns

  • Posted: Dec 20, 2025

There is no easing your way into a match at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

Sets fly to four, points come thick and fast, and before players can even towel off, momentum has already shifted. It’s tennis stripped of its safety nets, and as we have seen so far, this format rewards sharp starts, brave decisions and an unwavering focus from first ball to last.

Top seed Learner Tien, who let slip four match points in a bitter opening defeat to Rafael Jodar, has felt just how quickly control can slip away.

“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 after notching his first win over Martin Landaluce. “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.”

<img alt=”Learner Tien, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/20/13/20/in-arena-stats-jeddah-2025.jpg?w=100%25″ />Live in-arena statistics are available to players, coaches and fans. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

That razor-thin margin is magnified by sudden-death Deuce. For Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, those moments have been opportunities rather than obstacles. The 20-year-old has thrived when matches tighten, a big reason why he completed a perfect 3-0 sweep of his group.

“Knowing a loss of serve could be costly for a set or having more break opportunities with the sudden-death Deuce comes into my head, but this week I feel I have played those big points well,” said Blockx, who saved 86 per cent (19/22) of break points across the group stage, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “I focus more when it’s a deciding point.

“I don’t think too much about the pressure of those points, I just play full out and I think how I have handled the big moments has been important to why I made a good start here and qualified for the semi-finals.”

<img alt=”Alexander Blockx” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2025/12/20/13/17/blockx-forehand-format-feature-jeddah-2025.jpg” />Alexander Blockx won all three of his group-stage matches. Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

By crushing 76 winners across his first three group matches, Blockx offers a perfect example of how to expertly utilise aggression in this fast-paced format. That attacking mindset is reinforced in real time, with in-arena analytics giving players, coaches and fans insights into who is dictating points, how shots are performing across every stroke, and which player is winning the battle when on the front foot — or scrambling in defence.

Read the rules and innovations here

Fast starts have been another recurring theme throughout the week. With sets to four, falling behind early can be costly. Croatia’s Dino Prizmic experienced that the hard way in his opening defeat to Nishesh Basavareddy, but struck back with a sharp opening against Justin Engel.

“For the first set, it is very important to have a fast start but matches are long, needing to win three sets,” Prizmic said after his four-set win over Engel. “A fast start is important and you have to adapt quickly, but if you can make a fast start you can take a lot of control quickly.”

[ATP APP]

The physical rhythm of the match is also altered by the lack of a changeover after the first game of a set For Prizmic, there is no room to hide and settle in easily. Instead, you have to be locked in and ready for battle from the get-go.

“For me it is better not to change every first game. Sometimes I sit down in matches after one game and I am a little bit cold, and then I need to find some rhythm and get warm again,” explained the 20-year-old. “Here it’s good because we can play three games in a row to start and you get warm straight away.”

Next Gen ATP Finals

Layered on top of the on-court intensity is a round-robin format that offers both pressure and opportunity. Every match matters, but one loss doesn’t spell the end, a dynamic that mirrors the challenge of life on Tour.

Tien, for example, rebounded from his opening heartbreak to top his group, while Jodar was eliminated despite also finishing with a positive 2-1 record.

“It is a very tough but good experience,” Prizmic said of the format. “Every win is very important and you have to stay balanced after a group defeat as you can come back. Everyone is also inside the Top 200, so you are straight into it.”

That, ultimately, is the magic of the Next Gen ATP Finals. It rewards boldness, punishes hesitation and accelerates development. A high-octane proving ground where the future of men’s tennis learns to live on the edge.

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