Big-time Alexander Blockx shoots Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in Next Gen ATP Finals title match | ATP Tour
Next Gen
Big-time Blockx beats ‘best friend’ Budkov Kjaer in Jeddah final
Belgium are chasing 27 winners, expecting either Tien or Basavareddy in Sunday’s final
December 20, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Alexander Blockx playing in Saturday’s semi-final in Jeddah.
Written by Jerome Coombe
Alexander Blockx moved to within one win of the first title at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, thanks to another big performance on Saturday evening.
As well as using the explosive game that has defined his run in Jeddah, the 20-year-old Belgian showed superior physicality to fend off close friend Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 4-3 (4), 4-3 (8), 4-2. Blockx, who attended the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017 as a fan, now awaits either Learner Tien or top seed Nishesh Basavareddy in Sunday’s final.
The first Belgian in history to play for this title 🇧🇪#NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/cy3UL1yReX
– ATP Finals Next (@nextgenfinals) December 20, 2025
“I think it was straight sets but it was my hardest match of the week,” said Blockx. “I think the level we both played was very high. The second set, and that’s where the luck fell a little bit for me. We had long rallies and I’m very happy to share this moment with him.
“We’ve been talking about Next Gen for a long time. In September we were talking: ‘Imagine if we got to Jeddah and played against each other’, so it’s amazing to be able to share this game with him. He’s one of my best friends on Tour so it was a great Saturday for me.”
In the first Lexus ATP Head2Head between two big hitters, Blockx was dragged into a physical battle after winning the opening set. Budkov Kjaer stretched out the rallies and showed patience with the gun to show that there is still life left in the 19-year-old Norwegian.
The power of Blockx, however, proved too much. The breakthrough in the last game was one of 27 winners the Belgian hit during the semi-final, adding to the 76 shots he fired en route to a 3-0 Red Group victory.
“It feels good,” Blockx said of Sunday’s final. “I will prepare the best I can. I think physically I feel good, even though these are tough games and you have a short time between points. The rallies are long and without commercials you don’t have much time to think, so I think the most important time here is to stay calm in the head and that’s what I’m doing.”
In 2025, Blockx claimed two ATP Challenger Tour titles and claimed his first victory in Cincinnati to earn his spot in the 20-and-under event. The 2023 Australian Open men’s champion has also reached number 101 in the PIF ATP Rankings and will be sure to target the first Top 100 in 2026.
Budkov Kjaer will leave Jeddah with his head held high after scoring two impressive goals and becoming the first Norwegian semi-finalist in the tournament’s history. Despite the loss, the 19-year-old proved why he is one of the brightest talents on the ATP Tour, with four Challenger titles to his name in 2025.
