Top seed Learner Tien will continue his Next Gen ATP Finals campaign against Spanish teenager MartÃn Landaluce in their Blue Group clash on Friday, December 19. The American arrived with considerable expectations after gaining solid main-tour exposure in 2025 and capturing his maiden ATP 250 title in Metz.
However, Tien was unable to live up to that billing in his opening match, falling to Spain’s Rafael Jodar, who secured a hard-fought 1-4, 4-3(3), 1-4, 4-2, 4-3(4) victory on Wednesday.
Landaluce, meanwhile, also endured a sluggish start to his Jeddah campaign. The Spaniard faced fifth seed Nicolai Budkov Kjær, whom he had previously dominated with a 3–0 head-to-head record. However, the Norwegian flipped the script in their opening group-stage encounter, claiming a 4-1, 3-4(9), 4-2, 4-3(4) victory to build momentum for the remainder of the tournament. As a result, Landaluce, too, opened his campaign with a defeat.
How To Watch Learner Tien vs. MartÃn Landaluce?
Date: December 19, 2025
Tournament: Next Gen ATP Finals 2025
Round:Â Group Stage
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Live Telecast: Tennis Channel, TSN, Sky Sports
Tien vs Landaluce Head-to-Head
The contest marks a first-ever meeting between the two rising talents, leaving their head-to-head record at 0–0. With both players opening their campaigns in defeat, this clash takes on added significance, as another loss could severely dent their chances of progressing further in the tournament.
Tien vs Landaluce Prediction
Tien will need to bring his best tennis to assert himself against the Spaniard in the upcoming contest. The World No. 28 has repeatedly proven his ability to rise to the occasion on big stages, boasting marquee wins over Daniil Medvedev, Ben Shelton, and Alexander Zverev, among others, this season. As such, his opening group-stage loss should not overshadow his credentials or diminish his prospects of making a deep run in the event.
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Tien has been especially authoritative on serve, holding 77% of his service games and winning 62% of service points in 2025. His dominance is even more pronounced on hard courts, where he owns a strong 67% win rate this season.
Landaluce faces a stern test against the American but will draw confidence from his solid hard-court record. The Spaniard is 16–10 on the surface this season and has shown a clear comfort indoors, boasting an 11–5 overall record, highlighted by a 5–2 in 2025. Leveraging that experience may be key to keeping his campaign alive
That said, Tien’s greater exposure at the main-tour level could give him a decisive edge in the upcoming contest. His superior ranking and top-seed status may also work in his favor under pressure.
Pick: Tien to win in four sets.
