Tien Triumphant in Return to Jeddah Final

It seems as though Learner Tien has learned his lesson. This time last year, the then 19-year-old American was catching a flight open empty handed after losing the final to Joao Fonseca in the Next Gen ATP Finals. But this year, he came back improved on every level. Older, higher ranked, and with greater advances in his game, he was able to demonstrate mental fortitude to overcome some early hiccups and secure a convincing championship just ten days before the 2026 season kicks off. Let's dive into Learner's performance. 

Seeded 1st this year, on paper Tien's first match shouldn't have been an issue. Up against 7th seed Rafael Jodar, Tien was predicted to comfortably storm to victory and dominate his group. It seemed as though that would play out after the American took the first set, 4-1. Jodar stayed strong in the second, and fought through a tiebreak to strike back, 4-3. Tien won the third to stay a step ahead, before Jodar sprung ahead and took the final two sets. Already, Tien was in trouble. And there were only better players to follow.

Photo credit: ATP

Despite the fact that Nicolai Budkov Kjaer and Martin Landaluce were seeded 5th and 4th, respectively, and despite the fact that Tien lost both opening sets in his matches against them, the young American was able to hold on by a thread and clinch the final spot up for grabs in the semifinals. His next opponent posed a problem: fellow American and 6th seed Nisesh Basavareddy. Basavareddy and Tien share some similarities as they're both Cali kids and both tried their luck at college tennis before turning pro. They're also both now 20 years old, and enjoyed their final year of eligibility at the event. Tien, having navigated rough waters early on in the draw, could have also had a difficult time in this matchup. But he was settled in and ready to roll. After defeating Basavareddy in three sets, he found himself in the title match once again.

Tien's final challenge was no joke. 2nd seed Alexander Blockx was across the net, and the Belgian had won all four matches he had played so far, finishing as the leader of his group before sweeping his semifinal opponent, Budkov Kjaer. Blockx, comfortable with the indoor conditions, was actually the off-paper favorite coming into the battle. But Learner Tien was able to unlock a whole new level when he needed it most, and took down his fellow 20-year-old in three, progressively more dominant, sets: 4-3, 4-2, 4-1. With this win, Tien joins the pool of previous champions that include Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and finishes the 2025 season on a high. 

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By William Turvey. Top photo credit: ATP