Tien Delivers on Hype with Jeddah Triumph

In the electric hum of Jeddah’s arena, Learner Tien gripped the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF trophy, his face a mix of relief and resolve. The 20-year-old American had arrived as the top seed, World No. 28 and the event’s only player inside the Top 100, fresh off a breakout 2025 that included his first ATP title in Metz. Last year’s final loss to Joao Fonseca still stung, but it sharpened his edge, transforming pressure into a quiet fury that propelled him through a grueling week.

From the opener against Rafael Jodar, where he blew four match points, Tien’s campaign teetered. Facing elimination, he dropped the first set to Nicolai Budkov Kjaer but rallied with fierce determination, firing inside-out forehands off wide serves in a one–two rhythm that turned the tide. That four-set win sparked nine straight sets, carrying him past semifinals and into a showdown with Alexander Blockx, where maturity met mastery in a 59-minute rout.

“It’s very cool to be adding my name to the list of previous winners,” said Tien, who joined the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as champions of the event. “I think every player who has won this tournament has gone on to do very well, so it means a lot to be up there with those names. I’ve been waiting a year to hold this trophy… It feels great, especially after coming so close last year.”

Pressure forges unyielding resolve

The draw buzzed with young guns hungry to topple the favorite, their fearless shotmaking slicing through the indoor hard courts’ quick pace. Tien absorbed the heat, blending heavy topspin baselines with dipping slices to keep opponents guessing, his footwork covering ground as the crowd’s cheers swelled with each shift in momentum. That early stumble against Jodar exposed nerves—forehands sailing long on the slick surface—but he locked in, using crosscourt backhands to stretch rallies and force errors, proving why he entered as the benchmark.

Against Budkov Kjaer, the stakes sharpened; one more lost set meant packing bags early. Tien flipped to aggressive patterns, serving down the T before cracking inside-in winners that pinned his foe deep, the arena’s energy feeding his comeback. “If I lost one more set in that match, I would have been eliminated,” he said later. “After losing that first set, I won nine sets in a row, actually, so that’s cool. I’m very happy I was able to pull that off.”

Chang’s wisdom anchors the ascent

Since linking with former World No. 2 Michael Chang in August, Tien’s game gained layers—sharper returns, varied serves that disrupted rhythms on fast decks. Chang’s drills honed his all-court solidity, pushing him to No. 28 and that Metz breakthrough on indoor hard, where he mixed volleys with baseline grind. Beyond strategy, the partnership brought warmth; Chang’s family, including son Micah courtside in Jeddah, lightened the load amid tense exchanges.

“Since we started working together, him and his whole family have given me so much support,” Tien said. “Micah has been there for a lot of my tournaments… It’s always nice to have him around. It adds a fun side—it makes the matches and some of these tense moments a little bit more lighthearted.” In the final, this balance shone as Tien neutralized Blockx‘s power with down-the-line passes and low underspin, the Belgian’s explosive strokes fizzling against composed variety.

Learner Tien’s amazing celebration #NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/ikpd8NZucC
— Next Gen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 21, 2025

Trajectory points to major contention

As confetti fell on December 21, 2025, Tien’s celebration captured the raw joy of redemption, the week’s intensity etching deeper poise into his play. Blockx, eyed for a Top 100 leap, couldn’t breach the American’s defenses, his flat hitters met with lofted drops and crosscourt counters that exploited every angle. This crown avenges 2024’s shortfall, blending youth’s fire with veteran’s calm on courts that reward adaptability.

Now, with seeding locked at the Australian Open, Tien shifts to 2026 not as promise alone, but proof—a force ready to challenge the tour’s elite, his toolkit primed for the grind ahead.