Tien's tiebreak turnaround seals Metz triumph
From the edge of defeat in the third-set breaker, Learner Tien summoned raw power and precision to overcome Cameron Norrie, lifting his first ATP Tour trophy amid the electric hum of the Moselle Open.
In the pressurized confines of the Metz arena on Saturday, Learner Tien scripted a comeback for the ages, erasing a 1-5 deficit in the deciding tiebreak to defeat Cameron Norrie 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(6) and claim the Moselle Open title. The 19-year-old American's left-handed arsenal, blending aggressive groundstrokes with unyielding mental resets, turned a match teetering on collapse into a defining victory. As the final point ricocheted off the lines, the crowd's eruption filled the indoor space, celebrating a breakthrough that echoed through his rising career.
First ATP title: UNLOCKED
Learner Tien tops Norrie 6-3 3-6 7-6 in a thrilling encounter in Metz! @MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/MFuDciGLh8— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 8, 2025
"I never take it for granted, just coming out here and competing. So, holding this trophy just means the world to me. And I'm just really grateful," Tien said during the trophy ceremony. "I want to thank my team, the ones that are here, the ones that are at home, for all the support, for everything this whole year and always, it means the world to me. "I always feel the love and support, wherever you guys are. I'm really grateful for each and every one of you. The success I've had really is impossible without all of you, so thank you."
Trailing deep, resolve ignites
Norrie's steady returns and slice backhands had pushed Tien to the brink in the tiebreak, disrupting rhythm on the swift indoor hard. But the young lefty recalibrated, firing inside-out forehands that carved crosscourt angles and forced unforced errors from his opponent. This shift, born of drilled psychological drills, flipped the momentum, with Tien's one–two serve-forehand combinations pinning Norrie deep and opening down-the-line opportunities that sealed mini-breaks.
The former World No. 2 Michael Chang, who joined Tien's coaching team in August, observed from courtside as his pupil extended a 3-1 head-to-head edge over Norrie. Chang's guidance sharpened the American's footwork against the surface's low bounce, turning potential despair into a surge of free-swinging confidence. That 7-6(6) finish released the tension built over sets of grinding baseline exchanges, validating months of high-stakes preparation.
Season's ascent tests nerve
Building from a runner-up finish at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF last year, Tien's 2025 breakout featured five wins over Top 10 players, showcasing adaptability across surfaces. In Beijing's ATP 500 event, he reached his first tour-level final before falling to Jannik Sinner, a near-miss that fueled his drive into Metz's faster conditions. Here, the indoor hard amplified his flat-hitting style, allowing precise patterning of crosscourt rallies into inside-in surprises that wore down Norrie's higher-trajectory shots.
Norrie, aiming to avenge his 2024 Metz final loss, probed with down-the-line backhands but couldn't sustain ownership of the center, ending the year at 34-26. Tien's tactical versatility—mixing underspin defenses with net approaches—exposed those gaps, propelling the teenager toward a Top 30 debut in the PIF ATP Rankings. This marks the first ATP Tour title for an American teen since Andy Roddick at 19 in 2002, reframing Tien as a contender ready for elite clashes.
Gratitude fuels next chapter
As confetti rained down amid cheers from the @MoselleOpen crowd under #MoselleOpen banners on November 8, 2025, Tien's humility shone through, crediting his team's support for the tiebreak heroics. The victory, captured in that pulsing arena moment via pic.twitter.com/MFuDciGLh8, underscores a season of evolving poise under pressure. With Chang's influence honing his edge, the lefty now eyes majors, his game a blend of power and resilience poised to disrupt the tour's hierarchy.
