Tennis invites endless philosophical debate. Is it better to be solid across the board, or to possess one or two lethal weapons that can demolish opponents? Learner Tien might just settle the argument.
His rise over the past two years shouldn’t have been surprising, yet somehow it was. Tien had long been tagged as a potential breakout star in American tennis, but skeptics pointed to an obvious flaw: he didn’t really excel at anything in particular. No monster serve. No killer forehand. Nothing that jumped off the screen.
So what makes this kid special? Why is everyone suddenly excited about his future?
Slowly But Surely
Before diving into his 2025 campaign, we need to acknowledge 2024, because everything that transpired this year was built on last year’s foundation. Tien improved his ranking dramatically, from 473rd to 114th, and that grind (and it was truly a grind) laid the groundwork for his breakout.
Tien played a staggering amount of tennis in 2024: 77 matches total, winning 63 of them. He didn’t catch some lucky wildcard and ride it to a magical run. He literally played every tournament available and earned his place on the Tour through sheer volume and consistency.
The first few months were spent dominating the Futures circuit, where he rattled off 15 consecutive wins. He then embarked on a 13-match winning streak on the Challenger Tour, capturing two titles to accelerate his ranking climb. By year’s end, he’d added another Challenger trophy and qualified for the Next Gen Finals, where he proved he belonged among the sport’s best young talents by making the final.
Playing so much tennis served dual purposes. It prepared Tien for the grueling demands of ATP-level competition while allowing him to grow into his game. With each victory, his confidence swelled. By the time he arrived on the big stage, he was ready.
The ATP Adventure Begins
The Australian Open provided the proof. Having to battle through qualifying didn’t faze Tien. He embraced the grind once more and cruised into the main draw. Then came two extraordinary opening matches: a four-hour war against Camilo Ugo Carabelli, followed by the crowning achievement, a stunning victory over Daniil Medvedev in four hours and 48 minutes. Another five-setter survived. He backed that up with a win over the always tricky Corentin Moutet before finally succumbing to Lorenzo Sonego, his tank depleted.
That remarkable run vaulted him to 80th in the world, granting him direct entry into smaller ATP events. The goal was simple: become an ATP regular as quickly as possible. The sooner he established himself, the faster he could refine his game and climb the rankings. His next two stops were Delray Beach and Acapulco, with the latter producing a sparkling quarterfinal run that pushed him inside the top 70.
Spring Blues
After such heroics, a crash was inevitable. It arrived in the spring as Tien bombed spectacularly at the Sunshine Double, losing early at both Indian Wells and Miami. To be fair, he faced tough opponents, including Joao Fonseca, whom he pushed to three sets. But that match exposed a fundamental truth: Tien simply can’t match Fonseca’s firepower. His serve is considerably weaker and his baseline game lacks that explosive aggression.
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Tien plays efficient tennis. Nothing pops when you watch him, but he’s remarkably precise. That efficiency produces results if he can sustain it over the course of a match.
The struggles deepened on clay, which was entirely predictable. His style isn’t suited for the dirt and it got badly exposed. His lone victory during the entire clay season came against Reilly Opelka, and while Opelka did reach the Rome semifinals once, that was pure luck.
Back to Winning Ways
Tien rediscovered his form on grass, where his game translates better, though even that campaign wasn’t particularly impressive. He notched some quality wins, like his victory over Ben Shelton in Mallorca, but you could sense the real Tien would emerge once hard courts returned.
That’s exactly what happened. Six wins across three events leading into the US Open, including a statement victory over Andrey Rublev, signaled his return to form.
Unfortunately, the US Open draw did him no favours. He faced Novak Djokovic early and proved no match for the Serbian, who dispatched him comfortably. The match exposed Tien’s lack of weapons. Everything he attempted was easily neutralized by Djokovic, who needs to be genuinely pushed around to be beaten – even at 38. If you can’t pressure him, you’re in serious trouble.
Still, Tien sat in an excellent position, having climbed to 38th in the rankings over the summer. The goal for the remainder of the season was clear: secure a seeding spot for the Australian Open. With the Asian swing approaching, optimism ran high.
A Stellar Finish and First ATP Title
Tien excelled in Asia, reaching the quarterfinals in Hangzhou, the final in Beijing, and the fourth round in Shanghai. It was in Shanghai where Medvedev finally got his revenge after two failed attempts, but the Russian offered Tien perhaps the ultimate compliment. Medvedev called him an incredible player for reaching the top 30 without a powerful serve, something that seems nearly impossible in the modern era.
Tien did indeed crack the top 30 during the Asian swing, but he wasn’t finished. He concluded the season with a strong run in Metz, finally capturing his maiden ATP title by defeating Cameron Norrie in the final.
What’s Next?
While his record (39-25) might not seem overwhelmingly impressive on paper, Tien proved himself capable of competing with elite players, all without possessing a signature weapon. At just 19 years old, that signals a player with enormous potential.
Here’s the thing: if Tien can reach the top 30 with his current game, imagine what he might achieve with a few more seasons of experience and targeted improvements. The American could become a top 10 fixture because he’s not even close to his ceiling yet. And that’s the most exciting part of his story.
Main photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images