Nicolai Budkov Kjaer: ‘Sleepless nights’, sweet revenge and a dream trip to the Next Generation ATP Finals | ATP Tour

Next Generation ATP Finals

Budkov Kjaer: “Sleepless nights”, sweet revenge and a dream run in Jeddah

19 years old, making her first appearance at the Next Generation ATP Finals, giving an exclusive interview to ATPTour.com

December 19, 2025

Victory has been a familiar feeling for Nicolai Budkov Kjaer throughout 2025, and stepping onto the court at the Next Generation ATP Finals hosted by PIF did nothing to change that rhythm.

Two things propelled the 19-year-old to become the event’s first Norwegian semifinalist: a sharp competitive memory and a body that kept giving. Budkov Kjaer’s campaign in Jeddah began with his first win over Martin Landalus in four attempts and followed with aplomb against Rafael Jordal, the same opponent who denied him a second successive Grand Slam title in the US Open men’s final last year.

“It’s a painful defeat. As a teenager, two Grand Slams are special because a lot of people win one but very few win two,” Budkov Kjaer told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “I still remember being on the plane and having a hard time sleeping. It was a tragic loss.”

If anything, that loss seemed to set in motion what came next. In 2025, Budkov Kjaer won four ATP Challenger titles and rose to world ranking 132, earning a spot in the 20 and under category.

The 6-foot-3 Budkov Kjaer’s weapons are evident in the stands: a lively serve, clean power from the wings and the confidence to pull the trigger indoors, where he has won twice this year. But so far, in Jeddah, this is the core point that stands out.

“I’m happy with a lot of things this week, but I think my fitness is really good,” said Budkov Kjaer, who took 11/14 from nine shots against Landaluce, according to Infosys ATP Statistics. “I’m moving really well and I don’t think I need to rush the rally because I have a good base now.

“I talked a lot with my coach in pre-season about where I was physically. The longer this goes on, the better for me. Especially with Martin [Landaluce]who has an aggressive game and always has a little difficulty playing with small margins, so maybe I got some inspiration from my fellow Casper [Ruud]he hits with high spin and good profits. “

Watch Jeddah match highlights: Budkov Kjaer vs Landaluce

Former world No. 2 and three-time Grand Slam finalist Rudd is a familiar face throughout Budkov Kjaer’s career, regularly practicing with him and publicly referring to him as a “big brother” figure. This week, however, the 19-year-old surpassed his compatriot in a small but noticeable way, becoming the first Norwegian to reach the semi-finals in the tournament’s history.

Budkov Kjaer has shown why he is one of the most promising players on the Jeddah ATP Tour so far, and it all comes down to a tight support system. His sister, also a tennis player, was always present along with his parents – coach Alexander Kjaer and mother Tatiana.

“I’ve always been someone who loves to compete and play games – I’m motivated by that,” Budkov Kjaer said when asked about his 2025 season. “I really enjoy playing a lot of games every year because you have all the pressure, all the emotions. You can never train like you do during a game. I think that’s a good thing and of course I’ll continue to do it.

“I’m still very young, so I have a great career ahead of me. I hope I haven’t reached my peak yet… I hope I’m playing better in every tournament I play, I think I’m getting better and playing my best tennis right now.”

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and the power of the magic 8-ball 🎱🪄#NextGenATP finals pic.twitter.com/4fQJQztDZW

— NextGen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 18, 2025

There was also a slight edge to his win this week. Landalus and Hodahl were not just rivals, but friends, which made the win that much sweeter and the post-game exchanges in the locker room and on the training ground all the more entertaining.

“Revenge is always fun, and it’s also fun to target good friends because you joke around and make fun of each other,” Budkov Kjaer said. “It’s cool that Revenge is here and it’s in a special game. It’s always cool to win whether it’s Revenge or not.”

Budkov Kjaer lost to top seed and last year’s finalist Tian on Friday night to finish second in the blue group. Standing between him and a spot in Sunday’s final is 20-year-old Alexander Blockx. The pair clashed during the first Lexus ATP Head2Head match just before 7pm local time. Past champions of this innovative event include Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.