Scouting Report
Scouting Report: Tien, Landaluce, Blockx eye success in Jeddah
An executive summary of what every fan should know about the coming week
December 16, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Learner Tien reached last year’s final while Martin Landaluce and Alexander Blockx make their debuts.
By ATP Staff
After a year of thrilling competition, the 2025 ATP Tour season reaches its conclusion this week at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Eight of the best 20-and-under players will battle for the title, with the action beginning Wednesday at King Abdullah Sports City.
Last year’s finalist, Learner Tien, headlines the field following a breakthrough season. He is set for his second consecutive appearance and will aim to go one better this year after losing to Joao Fonseca in the 2024 final.
Making their Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF debuts are Alexander Blockx, Dino Prizmic, Martin Landaluce, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Rafael Jodar and Justin Engel, while American Nishesh Basavareddy joins Tien as the only two returners.
Ahead of the innovative event, ATPTour.com looks at the key storylines to follow in Jeddah.
1) Tien Out For Redemption: Tien returns to Jeddah, this time as the top seed and leading contender, aiming to avenge his loss in last year’s final to Fonseca. The 20-year-old American has enjoyed a breakthrough 2025 season, highlighted by his maiden tour-level title in Metz, a run to the final at the ATP 500 event in Beijing, and five victories over Top 10 opponents. Now at a career-high No. 28 in the PIF ATP Rankings, he intends to cap his memorable season by capturing the title.
2) Landaluce & Jodar Represent Spain: Close friends and countrymen, Landaluce and Jodar are set for their debuts in Jeddah, a leap from their supporting roles last year as an alternate and hitting partner, respectively. In 2025, Landaluce lifted the trophy at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Orleans, France and advanced to the second round at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. Jodar, who currently plays for the University of Virginia, qualified for Jeddah after winning three Challenger titles in the final three months of the season. They’re both placed in the Blue Group alongside Tien and Budkov Kjaer.
3) Basavareddy Returns, Backed By Cervara: Basavareddy is back for his second consecutive year in Jeddah. He returns with a solid foundation, having secured tour-level match wins in Cincinnati, Winston-Salem, and Hangzhou, and reaching the semi-finals in Auckland at the beginning of the season. He now aims for bigger results under the guidance of new coach Gilles Cervara, who led Daniil Medvedev to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
4) Engel, Youngest Player, Hunts Glory: 18-year-old Engel is the youngest player in the field and the first German ever to qualify. This season, he became the first player born in 2007 to win a Challenger title (Hamburg), and the second-youngest player (after Rafael Nadal) to earn a tour-level win on all three surfaces. Engel now hopes to join Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Fonseca as the only 18-year-old winners of the event.
5) Budkov Kjaer Leads Five Former Junior Grand Slam Champions: Norwegian Budkov Kjaer enjoyed a breakout season, winning a Tour-leading four ATP Challenger Tour titles. The 2024 Wimbledon boys’ champion is one of five players in the field to have captured a junior Grand Slam title, alongside fellow titlists Landaluce (US Open 2022), Blockx (Australian Open 2023), Prizmic (Roland Garros 2023), and Jodar (US Open 2024).
