Budkov Kjaer moves to the brink of semi-finals at Next Gen ATP Finals, Tien earns crucial win
Nicolai Budkov Kjaer moved to the brink of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF semi-finals on Thursday in Jeddah, where he overcame Spaniard Rafael Jodar 4-1, 4-2, 1-4, 4-2.
The Norwegian produced an impressive display to defeat Martin Landaluce in four sets in his Blue Group opener and is now 2-0 this week after resisting a mid-match fightback from Jodar in the King Abdullah Sports City.
“I’m just trying to focus on winning the matches, but to be qualified [would be] cool, so I hope it happens,” said Budkov Kjaer. “I started off great… Every shot I played went in, and Rafa was probably a bit nervous, which is probably normal. It’s tough to play a match after a big win. I’m very happy with the win of course.”
In front of a lively crowd, Budkov Kjaer fired two aces and an unreturned first serve in his final service game to wrap up victory in 79 minutes. With his win, he earned a dose of Jodar revenge, having lost to the Spaniard in the 2024 US Open boys’ singles final.
In a standout season, the Norwegian has won four ATP Challenger Tour titles and climbed from outside the Top 500 in the PIF ATP Rankings to No. 138.
Jodar, a three-time Challenger Tour champion this year, upset World No. 28 Learner Tien in his Jeddah opener to record his first Top 100 win. The 19-year-old Spaniard is 1-1 this week and will meet Landaluce in his final round-robin match, still very much in contention for a semi-final berth.
[ATP APP]In the final match on Day 2, Tien earned victory in a crucial must-win match against Landaluce to stay alive in Jeddah. The 20-year-old squandered four match points in his opening defeat to Jodar on Wednesday but ensured history did not repeat itself against Landaluce, recovering after failing to serve out the match at 3-1, 40/0 in the fourth set.
After wasting four more match point opportunities on Day 2 in Jeddah, Tien recomposed himself in the fourth-set tie-break, upping the aggression to eventually record a 1-4, 4-1, 4-3(4), 4-3(2) win against the 19-year-old Spaniard.
Tien advanced to the title match at the 20-and-under event last season, falling to Joao Fonseca in the final. The American will aim to leave Saudi Arabia with the crown this week and is now 1-1 in Blue Group play. The lefty will meet Blue Group leader Budkov Kjaer in his final round-robin match on Friday.
Tien arrived in Jeddah as the strong tournament favourite following a breakthrough season on Tour. He won his first ATP Tour title at the 250 event in Metz, recorded five Top 10 wins and enjoyed a fourth-round run at the Australian Open, climbing to a career-high No. 28.
Landaluce, a Challenger Tour champion this season, is 0-2 this week.
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