Round-robin competition at the NextGen ATP Finals continues on Thursday, when Learner Tien and Martin Landaluce have their backs against the wall. Both Rafael Jodar and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer are 1-0.
(1) Learner Tien vs. (4) Martin Landaluce
Tien is a considerable favorite to take the title at the NextGen ATP Finals. The 28th-ranked American finished runner-up to Joao Fonseca 12 months ago, but Fonseca did not make the return trip to Jeddah and Jakub Mensik also withdrew. As such, Tien is the No. 1 seed — but it didn’t look like it on Wednesday. The left-hander saw four match points evaporate during a 1-4, 4-3(3), 1-4, 4-2, 4-3(4) loss to Rafael Jodar.
Up next for Tien on Thursday is a first-ever meeting with Landaluce, who fell to Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 4-1, 3-4(7), 4-2, 4-3(4) in the nightcap on Wednesday. The 134th-ranked Spaniard is a top prospect, but he is well behind Tien in his respective development right now. After all, Tien is a top-30 player who wrapped up his 2025 regular season with an ATP 250 title on the indoor hard courts of Metz.
Pick: Tien in 3
(5) Nicolai Budkov Kjaer vs. (7) Rafael Jodar
It will be a rematch of the 2024 U.S. Open boys singles final when Budkov Kjaer and Jodar meet again on Thursday. That showdown last summer did not disappoint, as Jodar triumphed in a final-set tiebreaker. As competitive as that match was, the Spaniard completely dominated the super-‘breaker 10-1. Jodar once again came up big in tiebreakers on Wednesday, winning both that he played against Tien.
Budkov Kjaer also posted a huge result in his Jeddah debut. The 136th-ranked Norwegian had been 0-3 lifetime in the head-to-head series against Landaluce before finally getting over the hump with a four-set victory on Wednesday. Budkov Kjaer is playing well, but perhaps no one in the field is as hot as Jodar these days. Not only did the world No. 168 upset Tien, but he also won two of the last three Challenger events that he entered in 2025.
Pick: Jodar in 4