Next Gen ATP Finals: Tien Surprised by Jodar, Budkov Kjaer Finds the Solution Against Landaluce
After the red group earlier in the day, it was the blue group's turn to take the court at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
In the first match, Learner Tien, last year's tournament runner-up and the number one seed, was surprisingly defeated by Rafael Jodar, ranked 168th in the world, with a score of 1-4, 4-3, 1-4, 4-2, 4-3.
The American, who won the Metz tournament last month, had earned a first match point at 3-1, then three more at 3-2 in the fifth set. Jodar thus secures the very first victory of his career against a top 30 player.
First Success for Budkov Kjaer Against Landaluce
The last match of the day pitted Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a young Norwegian hopeful, against Martin Landaluce.
Although the Spaniard had won their three encounters this year on the Challenger circuit, it was Budkov Kjaer, much more solid overall (20 winners to 23 unforced errors, 9 aces), who came out on top 4-1, 3-4, 4-2, 4-3.
The world number 136 will attempt tomorrow to secure his spot in the semifinals against Jodar, while Landaluce will face Tien in a survival match.
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