Blockx defeats Budkov Kjaer 4-3, 4-3, 4-2 in semis at NextGen ATP Finals
While the NextGen ATP Finals is renowned for its innovations and analytics, it continues to showcase burgeoning young talent. Joao Fonseca, last year’s champion, won two ATP tour titles this season – a 250 and a 500 – and achieved a career high ranking of twenty-four. Although he qualified for this year’s edition in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, he withdrew due to injury.
To assert that this event is a launching pad for the games elite is a huge understatement. Two former champions have ascended to the top of the rankings, including current world #2, Jannik Sinner, and the reigning world #1, Carlos Alcaraz.
Each addition of the season-ending championship for the top eight players 20 years and younger introduces new rules and regulations while maintaining a specified core, like first-to-4, best of five set scoring.
Should each player win three games, a first-to-seven game with a two-point tiebreak shall be played. In addition, there is No-Ad scoring with the server choosing the service box. For this edition, new rules include a three-minute warmup, a change of balls every seven games, and a maximum of eight seconds between first and second serve.
Alexander Blockx from Belgium has reached the penultimate round on debut. The twenty year old from Antwerp and second seed went undefeated in the round robin stage with impressive wins over Justin Engel, Nishesh Basavareddy and Dino Prizmic. With two titles this season on the Challenger circuit, he achieved a career high ranking of #101, but is currently ranked #116.
His opponent, Nicolai Budkov Kjær from Norway, has also made waves this season. The nineteen year old from Oslo and fifth seed claimed the most titles on the Challenger circuit (4), achieved a career-high ranking of #132 and is currently ranked #136. While Blockx is the first Belgian to compete at this prestigious event, Kjaer is the first Norwegian to reach the semis. He went 2-1 in the round robin stage with four-set victories over Spaniards Martin Landaluce and Rafa Jodar alongside a four-set loss to last year’s finalist, Learner Tien.
This was their first tour-level meeting. Blockx won the toss and elected to serve. With two consecutive aces, he held at love while Kjaer struck one ace and held to 15 to level. Blockx opened and closed the third with two aces while Kjaer missed 4/5 first serves yet held for 2-2.
Blockx missed 3/4 first serves but held to love for 3-2 while Kjaer donated a double fault yet held to 15 to force the breaker. Blockx raced to a 6-2 lead, ripping forehands inside-out and down the line, and clinched it 7-4 when Kjaer overcooked a forehand.
The Norwegian served first in the second and though he faced four break points, held with three winners including two consecutive aces while Blockx opened with two formidable serves and held to 30 to level. Kjaer faced 0-30 but with two consecutive winners, including an overhead, held to 30 for 2-1.
Blockx continued to dominate on serve, making 5/6, including his fifth ace, and held to 30 for parity. Kjaer gifted three unforced errors and dumped serve when his opponent crushed a forehand down the line. Blockx serving for a two-set lead, lost focus and gave back the break with three unforced errors.
Kjaer served first in the breaker and trailed 3-5 before leveling at 6-6, 7-7, and 8-8. With two remarkable winners, Blockx secured the breaker and a commanding lead. The Belgian served first in the third and, with two additional aces, held to 15 while Kjaer faced triple break point and dropped serve when Blockx pummeled a running crosscourt forehand.
Blockx, however, was unable to consolidate the break as Kjaer upped the aggression and extracted errors. Kjaer opened the fourth with a crisp backhand stab volley winner and with an ace out wide, held to 30 for 2-2. Blockx, just two games from the title match, opened with three consecutive winners, including two aces, and held for 3-2 with a massive forehand down the line.
Kjaer, serving to stay in the match, lost a 24-shot rally with a netted forehand, and while he struck his fifth ace, conceded the match when Blockx hit two consecutive winners off the ground.
It was a thrilling, hard-hitting, and competitive match. The Belgian finished with more winners than errors (28/23) went 10/10 at net, and converted 3/7 break points. On Sunday, he will battle an American for the title: Learner Tien, last year’s finalist and world #28, or Nishesh Basavareddy, whom he defeated in the round robin competition.