Nicolai Budkov Kjaer reaches his first Challenger ultimate

18-year-old Nicolai Budkov Kjaer entered his fifth Challenger Tour occasion on an indoor court docket in Glasgow. Final 12 months’s junior no. 1 earned 4 victories and earned a spot within the title conflict, reaching his finest outcome at this degree. 

The Norwegian confronted Germany’s Max Hans Rehberg and earned a 6-3, 7-6 victory in an hour and 29 minutes. Nicolai fired 11 aces and performed nicely behind the primary and second serve. A young person saved two of three break factors in two difficult video games of the second set. 

Rehberg confronted two break factors and did not defend any. He made a late push within the second set to achieve a tie break however couldn’t lengthen the battle and drive a decider. 

— Eurosport (@eurosport) February 10, 2024

A young person offered 5 comfy holds within the opening set. He saved the stress on the opposite facet and grabbed a break within the fourth sport that despatched him in entrance. Final 12 months’s Wimbledon junior champion held at 15 within the first sport of the match with a strong serve. 

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Glasgow Challenger 2025© Stream screenshot

 

Budkov Kjaer closed the third sport at love with an ace and made a push on the return within the subsequent one. The German netted a forehand, shedding serve at 15 and sending his rival 3-1 in entrance. Nicolai held at 30 within the fifth sport and prolonged the benefit. 

The younger gun produced a maintain at love within the seventh sport for 5-2 and served for the opener at 5-3. Budkov Kjaer fired an ace, delivering one other maintain at love and shutting the opener 6-3 in 31 minutes. Max Hans performed higher within the second set and moved 4-3 in entrance with an unreturned serve. 

Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Glasgow Challenger 2025© Stream screenshot

 

He created his first break likelihood in sport eight, and a youngster saved it with a compelled error. Nicolai erased the second with a forehand down the road winner and held for 4-4. Rehberg hit a double fault within the eleventh sport and suffered a break after netting a forehand. 

The Norwegian served for the win at 6-5 and skilled a setback. The German claimed an prolonged rally on a break level, stealing the rival’s serve for the primary time and introducing a tie break. Budkov Kjaer clinched a mini-break within the first level and opened a 3-0 benefit. 

Max Hans pulled one mini-break again at 1-5 with a forehand winner earlier than lacking a routine forehand to supply his rival 4 match factors. Nicolas transformed the second at 6-3 with a service winner, sealing the deal and reaching his first Challenger ultimate at 18.