Interview: Next Gen Finals top seed Learner Tien reflects on a very impressive 2025 season
When Learner Tien came to Jeddah 12 months ago to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals, it was his first time participating in a professional tennis tournament outside the US.
The Californian, 19 years old at the time, made it to the final at King Abdullah Sports City last December, setting himself up nicely for what turned out to be an impressive 2025 campaign.
Ranked 122 in the world at the start of the year and finishing it at a career-high No. 28, Tien’s first full season on the ATP Tour had it all.
As he competed in 25 cities across 13 countries between the end of December 2024 and the beginning of November this year, his path to that 94-spot jump in the rankings included: a maiden appearance in a Grand Slam fourth round on his Australian Open debut, five victories over top-10 opponents, a first-round US Open showdown with Novak Djokovic at Arthur Ashe Stadium, a first ATP final appearance in Beijing where he fell to Jannik Sinner, and a maiden ATP title run to close out the year in style at the Moselle Open in Metz.
