Anyone in the Next Gen ATP Finals Blue Group could have mathematically qualified for the semifinals on Friday. Still, it was the favorites, Learner Tien and Nicolai Budkov Kjær, who advanced after the evening session. LWOT has the recap ahead of the exciting semifinal matches.
Next Gen ATP Finals Night 3 Recap
Learner Tien defeats Nicolai Budkov Kjær 3-4 (2) 4-1 4-2 4-2
This match was an enticing baseline battle. In the first set, Budkov Kjær always seemed to have the upper hand from the back of the court, and in the tiebreak, it was the Norwegian’s serve that especially stepped up. He sealed the set with a forehand winner, ultimately clinching a spot in the semifinals.
But Tien controlled his groundstrokes and broke down the underdog’s game rather quickly thereafter. Some poor unforced errors from Budkov Kjær gifted Tien the early break in the second set, and the American was largely untroubled on serve for the rest of the match. Tien would win the second set 4-1, and sealed the third set 4-2 with a forehand winner down the line, following a pulsating 25-shot rally.
Budkov Kjær seemed a bit tired at times in the fourth set, attempting a tweener in the first game of the set, though he eventually hit an unreturned serve to lead early. In the Norwegian’s following service game, he hit a forehand wide for Tien to break serve and establish a commanding lead. The American later sealed the match with an ace.
Rafael Jodar defeats Martin Landaluce 4-3 (7) 4-1 4-3 (2)
Jodar lost to Budkov Kjær on Thursday and tried to recover against his compatriot Landaluce, who was winless in the tournament. While he eventually won the match in straight sets, he narrowly missed qualifying for the semifinals; the University of Virginia athlete found himself in a three-way tie for second place with two wins and one loss, alongside Tien, Budkov Kjær, and Jodar.
While Landaluce tried to dictate the court with his booming forehand, Jodar’s controlled aggression gave him the upper hand. He was particularly impressive on sudden-death deuce points, winning three of four on Friday. Jodar trailed by a mini-break in the first-set tiebreak, and scraped by to win the tiebreak 9-7. He trailed 6-3 in the tiebreaker and ultimately saved four set points; the first two saved were courtesy of Jodar’s big first serves, while Landaluce blew the latter two after he missed two neutral forehands.
Jodar’s backhand was one of the major weapon in the match, while he fired an impressive 30 overall winners in a short 86-minute encounter. Dominate serves from Jodar helped him outhit Landaluce and win the second set 4-1. In the third set, Jodar jumped out to a quick lead, but lost serve a couple of games later when he fired a forehand long. In the third-set tiebreak, a huge backhand winner down the line gave Jodar the straight-sets win.
In the semifinals on Saturday, Learner Tien will face Nishesh Basavareddy. At the same time, Group Red winner and only undefeated player Alexander Blockx will battle against Nicolai Budkov Kjær for a spot in the finals.
Main Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch – USA TODAY Sports
