Jeddah | BETH

His Excellency the Vice Minister of Sport, Mr. Badr bin Abdulrahman Al-Qadi, crowned American Learner Tien with the title of the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals, hosted by the Kingdom for the third time in Jeddah from December 17 to 21. The tournament was organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport and sponsored by the Public Investment Fund.

Tien secured a dominant victory over Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, winning in straight sets (three sets to none), to claim the title and earn more than half a million dollars from a total prize pool exceeding two million dollars. The final was held amid strong local and international media coverage and notable fan attendance at the King Abdullah Sports City arena throughout the five-day event.

With this triumph, Learner Tien joins the list of champions crowned on Saudi soil, alongside Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic, winner of the inaugural edition against France’s Arthur Fils, and Brazil’s Fonseca, who claimed the second edition after defeating Tien—now champion of the third edition—over Belgium’s Alexander Blockx.

The tournament featured eight of the world’s top rising tennis stars: Learner Tien (USA), Martin Landaluce and Rafael Jodar (Spain), Nicolai Budkov Kjaer (Norway), Alexander Blockx (Belgium), Dino Prizmic (Croatia), Nishesh Basavareddy (USA), and Justin Engel (Germany).

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the event reflects its continued success in staging major continental and global sporting competitions, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport, contributing to the achievement of the Kingdom’s sports objectives under Saudi Vision 2030.

Post-Tournament Media Reactions

Learner Tien said that winning the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals was an “exceptional feeling,” especially after competing against strong players and finishing runner-up in last year’s edition. He added:

“Over the past two years, I’ve delivered solid performances. While I didn’t always perform at the level I hoped for, the fans made a real difference by supporting me and giving me extra strength on court. I’m truly happy to have them behind me.”

For his part, Alexander Blockx attributed his loss to the strength and intelligence of his opponent, noting that Tien successfully identified weaknesses and limited scoring opportunities. He explained that despite attempting to adjust his tactics and implement an alternative game plan, Tien’s smart play—particularly on his service games—made it difficult to turn the match around.

Blockx said:

“I will work hard to improve my performance. I leave the tournament with many positives, including enjoying the experience and handling pressure moments in an ideal way, which will help build a strong future. My experience in Jeddah was productive and enjoyable in every aspect, and I will seek to seize any future opportunity to return.”