Two teenagers put the Next Gen draw into a fresh state of chaos in Jeddah, and the tournament suddenly feels like a chess game played at tennis pace.
Nicolai Budkov Kjaer beat Rafael Jódar in four sets and now sits on the edge of the semi-finals, while Jódar supplied fireworks of his own by upsetting top seed Learner Tien earlier in the week.
Budkov Kjaer Inches Toward The Semis
“It was a battle,”
Rafael Jódar
Budkov Kjaer defeated Rafael Jódar 4-1, 4-2, 1-4, 4-2 in the Blue Group encounter, holding off a mid-match resurgence to close out the victory in front of a lively Center Court crowd.
After the match Budkov Kjaer said, “I’m just trying to focus on winning the matches, but to be qualified [would be] cool, so I hope it happens.” His focus might already be doing the heavy lifting for him.
The Norwegian wrapped up the win with two aces and an unreturned first serve in his final service game, finishing the contest in 79 minutes, and earning a measure of revenge after their US Open junior final meeting earlier in the year.
Budkov Kjaer will qualify for the semi-finals later on Thursday if Martin Landaluce defeats Learner Tien, but even a Tien win would not eliminate his strong chances to reach the last four at the 20-and-under event.
What Jódar’s Upset Means
Rafael Jódar pulled off a signature result earlier in the week when he stunned top seed Learner Tien, saving four match points to win 1-4, 4-3 (3), 1-4, 4-2, 4-3 (4), handing himself the biggest victory of his young career.
Jódar’s five-set classic against the World No. 28 was both a confidence boost and a statement that momentum can rewrite rankings on any given day at the Next Gen Finals.
Season Runs, Rankings And The Road Ahead
Budkov Kjaer has enjoyed a breakout season, claiming four ATP Challenger Tour titles and rising from outside the Top 500 to No. 138 in the PIF ATP Rankings, a climb that now gives him real momentum heading into the knockout phase.
Jódar’s late-season surge was equally dramatic: he clinched the final qualifying spot after winning three ATP Challenger Tour titles from August to November and jumped from No. 911 to a career-high No. 166 in early November.
The Spaniard’s win over Tien also marked his first Top 100 scalp in Jeddah, and it left the Blue Group tantalizingly open with multiple players still in contention for the two semi-final berths.
Jódar is currently 1-1 in the round robin and will meet Martin Landaluce in his final match, while Landaluce and Learner Tien still control crucial pieces of the qualification puzzle and can swing the table dramatically.
From a tactical standpoint, both youngsters have shown they can mix aggression with the kind of point construction that pays dividends on the quicker courts in Jeddah, and that balance will matter in any tight tiebreak scenarios.
History and ranking context underline the story: these are players who climbed fast this year, and the Next Gen stage amplifies small edges into headline-grabbing results that can accelerate careers further.
For fans, the Blue Group has turned into must-watch television where a single break or a handful of saved match points can completely reshuffle who heads home early and who walks away with a springboard to bigger events in 2026.
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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.
