One of the blockbuster matches scheduled on December 19 at the Next Gen ATP Finals will see Learner Tien take on Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer. Despite being the top seed, Tien did not have the best of starts at Jeddah, losing 4-1, 3-4 (3), 4-1, 2-4, 3-4 (4) against Rafael Jodar in a close five-set match. However, the American rallied back in the second match, winning 1-4, 4-1, 4-3 (4), 4-3 (2) against Martin Landaluce.
Meanwhile, Kjaer has been the player to look out for at the Next Gen ATP Finals this year. The Norwegian youngster began his campaign with a 4-1, 3-4 (7), 4-2, 4-3 (4) win over Martin Landaluce. He kept up the momentum with another impressive performance, winning 4-1, 4-2, 1-4, 4-2 against Rafael Jodar.
Learner Tien vs Nicolai Budkov Kjaer Match Details
Date: Dec. 19, 2025
Tournament: Next Gen ATP Finals 2025
Round: (Group stage) Round-Robin
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Category: Next Gen ATP Finals
Surface: Hardcourt
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, Sky Sports
Tien vs Kjaer Head-to-Head
This will be the first meeting between the two players, which is not surprising since Tien has played a lot more on the ATP Tour, whereas Kjaer has been mostly active on the Challenger Tour. Both players will want to win, especially Tien, who needs the win more desperately to qualify for the semifinal.
Tien vs Kjaer Prediction
In his previous match against Landaluce, Tien won over 70 percent of the service points, dropping only eight points behind his first serve. He was broken twice in the match, but also managed to break his opponent’s serve twice, and then maintained his composure in the tiebreaker situations.
Kjaer did not serve well in his previous match against Jodar, as the Norwegian was broken four times in the whole match. However, he compensated by being excellent during return games, breaking his opponent’s serve six times out of six, also showing that he can raise his level during important points.
MORE: Learner Tien vs. Martín Landaluce Preview: Head-to-Head and Prediction for Next Gen ATP Finals 2025
Tien won his maiden ATP title at Metz last month before coming into Jeddah. Kjaer, on the other hand, entered the event on the back of a three-match losing streak. Overall, Tien had an excellent season in 2025, with another final appearance in Beijing, had wins over Top-10 players, and made a decent run at a Major. On the other hand, Kjaer was mostly active on the Challenger Tour, where the Norwegian was a class apart, as he won four titles in the year.
Tien is a top-30 player in the world and will be motivated to ensure his qualification, making the American the favorite in the upcoming match.
Pick– Tien to win in four sets