Next Gen
Tien returns, Jodar debuts as Day 1 in Jeddah begins
Blockx faces Engel, Prizmic meets Basavareddy, Landaluce takes on Budkov Kjaer
December 16, 2025
ATP Tour
Learner Tien faces Rafael Jodar on Wednesday in Jeddah.
By ATP Staff
It is time to see which young star solidifies their place among the elite list of champions at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, where Day 1 of round-robin action begins Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
All eight competitors will play on opening day, including last year’s finalist Learner Tien, who faces Spaniard Rafael Jodar in an evening showdown. Tien headlines Blue Group while the top seed in Red Group Alexander Blockx begins his campaign against 18-year-old German Justin Engel.
[1] Learner Tien (USA) vs [7] Rafael Jodar (ESP) [not before 7 p.m.]
Tien competed last year in Jeddah as No. 122 in the PIF ATP Rankings, and after a breakthrough season, the 20-year-old arrives for his return trip as a Top 30 player. In his final ATP Tour event of the 2025 season, Tien was crowned champion in Metz, his first tour-level trophy.
The intrigue lies in the clash of styles between the lefty Tien and Jodar. While the American’s game is built on crafty court coverage and brickwall consistency, Jodar, the 19-year-old debutant, will look to take the initiative and dictate from the baseline.
Last season, Jodar was a sparring partner at this very event and now he is one of the eight competitors at the 20-and-under event. Jodar enjoyed a standout ATP Challenger season, during which he became the third Spanish teenager to win at least three titles at that level, joining World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and former No. 9 Nicolas Almagro. The Madrid native triumphed in Hersonissos, Lincoln and Charlottesville at the University of Virginia, where he is a sophomore.
Learner Tien at the Silver Sands Beach ahead of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/12/16/15/30/next-gen-atp-finals-2025-media-day-tien.jpg?w=100%25″>
Learner Tien at the Silver Sands Beach ahead of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals. Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
[4] Martin Landaluce (ESP) vs [5] Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (NOR) [Following Tien-Jodar]
For the first time in the eight-year history of the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, there are two Spaniards in the field. Alongside Jodar in Blue Group is his close friend Landaluce, both of whom grew up training at Club de Tenis Chamartin in Madrid.
Landaluce and Budkov Kjaer met three times on the ATP Challenger circuit this year, with the Spaniard victorious on each occasion. Budkov Kjaer, 19, was one of six players to win four ATP Challenger titles this season.
[3] Dino Prizmic (CRO) vs [6] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA) [2 p.m.]
Prizmic and Basavareddy will kickstart this year’s edition with their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting. Basavareddy, who recently welcomed coach Gilles Cervara to his team, is competing in Jeddah for the second consecutive year.
Among Prizmic’s season highlights was a second tour-level quarter-final appearance on home soil in Umag, where he also reached the last eight in 2023. The Croatian won two ATP Challenger titles this year and reached three additional finals.
Dino Prizmic ahead of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/12/16/16/06/prizmic-next-gen-atp-finals-2025-media-day.jpg”>
Dino Prizmic in Jeddah. Credit: Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
[2] Alexander Blockx (BEL) vs [8] Justin Engel (GER) [not before 3 p.m.]
The 18-year-old Engel is the youngest competitor in the field, which historically has been a promising sign. Jannik Sinner (2019), Carlos Alcaraz (2021), and Joao Fonseca (2024) all lifted the trophy as the youngest participants in their respective draws.
Engel was the youngest ATP Challenger champion of 2025 with his triumph in Hamburg. He also reached the Stuttgart ATP 250 quarter-finals as a wild card, then ranked No. 281 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Blockx, who won two ATP Challenger titles this year, secured his maiden tour-level match win at the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati. He then added to that count in Metz, where he was competing in the main draw via the Next Gen Accelerator pathway.
ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025
CENTRE COURT start 2:00 pm
[3] Dino Prizmic (CRO) vs [6] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA)
Not Before 3:00 pm
[2] Alexander Blockx (BEL) vs [8] Justin Engel (GER)
Not Before 7:00 pm
[1] Learner Tien (USA) vs [7] Rafael Jodar (ESP)
[4] Martin Landaluce (ESP) vs [5] Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (NOR)
