Tien's path from Challenger breakthrough to Tour stardom

Challenger

Tien’s path from Challenger breakthrough to Tour stardom

American earned three ATP Challenger titles in 2024 earlier than rookie season on ATP Tour

December 23, 2025

Whereas 2025 marked Learner Tien’s breakthrough season on the ATP Tour, the blueprint was drawn a yr earlier, when the lefty proved himself at ITF World Tennis Tour occasions and ATP Challenger tournaments.

Removed from the brilliant lights of the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF, which Tien received on Sunday to affix an elite listing of former champions together with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the American was constructing his basis.

Flashback to early 2024, and Tien endured a three-month layoff resulting from a seventh-rib harm that made transferring his dominant arm troublesome. Tien’s fast rise ever since has hardly ever slowed. Part of why Tien stands the place he does as we speak is the ATP Challenger circuit, lengthy considered the launchpad for rising stars. Even the game’s biggest names, together with the ‘Massive Three’ needed to cross by means of Challenger occasions.

Tien loved a adorned junior profession, twice successful the USTA Boys’ 18s Nationwide Championship (2022, 2023). He additionally twice reached the ultimate of junior Slam tournaments. Tien introduced his professional arrival in 2024, notably constructing a 28-match successful streak that included 4 ITF World Tennis Tour title runs and his first Challenger trophy.

“Enjoying tournaments like that actually units you as much as take that subsequent step,” Tien stated Sunday after successful in Jeddah. “I feel the quantity of matches it’s important to play, particularly in case you win them — I feel the arrogance it offers you, actually boosts you to achieve the subsequent stage.”

Tien’s opponent in his maiden Challenger last look in Bloomfield Hills was countryman Nishesh Basavareddy, who he rematched within the Jeddah semi-finals final week. That Challenger assembly between Tien and Basavareddy was simply the third last in Challenger historical past to function two American youngsters. Tien, then 18 years outdated, wanted a deciding set in all 5 of his matches that week.

“I used to be simply actually blissful and relieved to get by means of all of them,” Tien stated on the time. “I am actually blissful to get my first Challenger. That was one of many targets that I wished to cross off my listing this yr.”

Tien completed his objective of claiming one Challenger title after which some. He completed the 2024 season with a hat-trick of Challenger trophies, additionally triumphing in Las Vegas and Fairfield. He tallied a standout 35-9 match report at that stage. In Las Vegas, Tien raced previous former No. 17 Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-1 in a 39-minute last, the shortest championship match in Challenger historical past.

Learner Tien in motion on the 2024 Fairfield Challenger. Credit score: Taube – Grossman Professional Tennis Event

The California native joined Andy Roddick, Sam Querrey and Taylor Fritz on an unique listing of Individuals to win three Challenger titles earlier than their nineteenth birthday.

“In the event you would have instructed me six months in the past that that is how my yr would’ve regarded, I in all probability would’ve been a bit skeptical,” Tien instructed commentator Mike Cation after successful the Fairfield Challenger.

Earlier than Tien went on his stretch of 28 consecutive match wins, he posted a graphic on Instagram of two pickaxe-wielding diggers in a mud tunnel. One gave up simply in need of the prize; the opposite saved swinging, inching nearer to the diamonds he hoped — however didn’t know — lay on the opposite aspect.

That relentless mindset, evident in Tien’s regular rise, has translated into tangible outcomes. The 20-year-old received his first tour-level title in November in Metz and completed the season at a career-high No. 28 within the PIF ATP Rankings. Upon returning to the Subsequent Gen ATP Finals offered by PIF, the place final yr he was a finalist, Tien went one step additional to say a $502,250 champion’s payout.

It’s protected to say Tien’s ‘up and coming’ days have handed. Tien has arrived on the prime of the game. The intimate Challenger venues and the chase for a breakthrough at the moment are a part of his previous. Tien efficiently used these experiences to spring himself to the place he’s as we speak.

“I feel Challengers are nice,” Tien stated. “I feel it prepares you to play quite a lot of matches in a row. Matches there aren’t straightforward.”