Learner Tien turned last year’s near miss into a headline win in Jeddah.
The American left-hander dominated the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, defeating Alexander Blockx in the final to close out a breakout 2025 season and set himself up for bigger tests at the Australian Open next year.
Tien’s Jeddah Statement
After losing that first set, I won nine sets in a row, actually, so that’s cool.
Learner Tien
Tien closed the week with a one-sided victory over Blockx, taking the final 4-3(4), 4-2, 4-1 and wrapping up the match in roughly 58 minutes, according to match reports from Jeddah.
The American’s composure was the difference, with Tien capitalizing on loose forehands and weathering his opponent’s heavy serving early in the match, then pulling away steadily to claim the title and the attention that comes with it.
The title carried a significant payday, with Tien earning $502,250 in prize money, and made history as just the third top seed to win the event, joining Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz as previous No. 1 winners.
How He Did It
Blockx began the match firing first serves and landed every first serve in the opening set, but Tien’s consistency in the baseline rallies proved decisive and he even saved two break points when serving for the match at 3-2.
Tien credited his coach’s calm presence, saying of Michael Chang, “I don’t feel like he’s a coach that says a lot during matches,” and added that Chang steps in when necessary with concise, useful advice that steadies him during tense moments.
Chang’s influence has been clear since the partnership began in August, with Tien earning his first ATP Tour title in Metz, notching five Top 10 wins during the season and rising to a career-high ranking of No. 28.
Blockx And The Bigger Picture
Alexander Blockx leaves Jeddah with plenty to build on despite the final loss, having beaten several strong opponents during the week and becoming the first Belgian to play at the Next Gen Finals while moving into the Top 200 and beyond.
“I’ve had a lot of fun this week,” Blockx said after the final, praising the organisation, the staff and the crowd in Jeddah, all of which helped create a memorable tournament atmosphere for the young players.
Tien’s route to the trophy was not straightforward: after an opening round-robin loss to Rafael Jodar he regrouped, beat Martin Landaluce, then edged Nicolai Budkov Kjaer in four sets to stay alive and eventually built momentum toward the title.
That Budkov Kjaer match proved pivotal. Tien said, “If I lost one more set in that match, I would have been eliminated,” and then rattled off nine consecutive set wins to carry himself all the way to the final and ultimate victory.
Ranked No. 116 in the PIF ATP Rankings coming into the event, Blockx still impressed as a rising contender and can take confidence from a week that included wins over Justin Engel, Dino Prizmic and his close friend Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.
For Tien the Next Gen crown is both vindication and a launchpad, joining a roll call of alumni whose careers accelerated after Jeddah, and giving him momentum as he prepares for the Australian Open where he will arrive as a seeded player in 2026.
History shows that winners of the Next Gen event often go on to bigger stages, and Tien’s combination of variety, patience and a growing tactical game suggests he could follow in the footsteps of previous champions who reached the sport’s highest levels.
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Christoph Friedrich is a German tennis player and coach currently residing in Oakland, California. He began his tennis journey at the age of eight and has since dedicated his life to the sport. After working as a tennis coach and hitting partner in New York City for eight years, Christoph decided to share his knowledge and experience with tennis players around the world by creating the My Tennis Expert blog. His goal is to make tennis education accessible to everyone and help players select the best equipment for their game, from racquets and strings to shoes and overgrips. Christoph's extensive research and expertise in tennis technology make him a valuable resource for players of all levels.
