American tennis sensation Learner Tien defeated Belgium’s Alexander Blockx 4-3(4), 4-2, 4-1 to win the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals on Sunday, avenging last year’s runner-up finish. The season-ending exhibition features the eight highest-ranked players aged 20 and under and employs a shortened format where four games secure a set and a single point at deuce decides the game.
Tien, who recently captured his first ATP title at the Moselle Open, displayed composure and precision, committing only 12 unforced errors compared to Blockx’s 23, and wrapped up the match in under an hour.
“I’m really happy, I knew it was going to be a tough match,” Tien said. “I don’t think (Blockx) missed a serve for the first set-and-a-half. He’s been playing great in these conditions all week.”
Despite Blockx serving seven aces to Tien’s one and applying early pressure with aggressive net play, the world No. 28 used well-placed lobs and drive volleys to keep the Belgian, ranked 116th, on the defensive. After saving a break point in a tiebreaker in the first set, Blockx was overpowered as Tien captured the second and third sets with decisive breaks.
Tien, who defeated five top-10 players this year including a straight-sets victory over world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, sealed his win with a break in the third set, leaving Blockx little chance of recovery. Blockx congratulated Tien at the trophy presentation, admitting, “There are not a lot of days I feel helpless on court but today was one of them. You’re just too good.”
Tien’s path to the final was not straightforward. He lost his opening match in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Rafael Jodar but rebounded to win his next two matches to reach the semifinals. There, he defeated fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy in straight sets to secure a consecutive final appearance. Blockx reached the final unbeaten, dropping only two sets earlier in the tournament against Germany’s Justin Engel and Croatia’s Dino Prizmic.
