Norway's Budkov Kjaer savours history-making ITF World Champion feat
Moments before stepping on court for his first-round match at the Nottingham Challenger, Norway’s Nicolai Budkov Kjaer became the latest player to receive their 2024 ITF World Champion presented by UNIQLO award.
The ITF are presenting players with their 2024 ITF World Champion accolades, which are given to the most outstanding competitors each year, at prominent and meaningful locations throughout the season.
As always, the awards celebrate the achievements of established professionals, but also aspiring and emerging talent – players that have the potential to develop into the stars of tomorrow.
This feeds into the ITF's mission of promoting and developing tennis around the world, while at the same time securing and improving the sport for future generations.
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Budkov Kjaer was named an ITF World Champion following a stellar season in which he claimed a Junior Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, reached the final at the US Open and semi-finals at the Australian Open.
Such results saw him finish the 2024 campaign as the year-end No. 1 in the ITF World Tennis Tour boys’ rankings, which ensured he became the first Norwegian to achieve ITF World Champion status in any category.
“I am super grateful to receive this ITF World Champion trophy,” said Budkov Kjaer, who today recorded his maiden ATP Tour main draw match-win at Bastad.
“It was a great 2024 with a lot of great memories and matches played on the Tour. I am now looking forward to what’s ahead.”
Budkov Kjaer was previously a member of the ITF-operated Grand Slam Player Development Programme Touring Team, which helps players from developing tennis nations play at a level of competition that would otherwise prove difficult.
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This inevitably aided his development and he now follows in the footsteps of the likes of Joao Fonseca, Belinda Bencic, Roger Federer, Victoria Azarenka, Andy Roddick, Amelie Mauresmo Stefan Edberg and Martina Hingis in being crowned a junior ITF World Champion.
He may have some way to go before he matches the achievements of such players, but he is on the way and showing all the hallmarks of someone to keep a close eye on in the coming months and years.
As well as his junior achievements, Budkov Kjaer also won the first professional titles of his career in 2024, both at M15 Antalya on the ITF World Tennis Tour – the main artery to the ATP and WTA Tours.
He has since reached the final of two further events on the ITF World Tennis Tour – at M25 level – before enjoying a major breakthrough by winning the Glasgow Challenger in February.
Congratulations, Nicolai.