Learner Tien: Furthering The Identity Crisis of American Men’s Tennis

If a tennis fan or enthusiast was walking down the street and was asked to describe the modern American male tennis player, for a while now, if the fan offered a profile of a player possessing a huge serve and a rasping forehand, and a game generally more suited for hard courts, they would be absolutely spot on. For years, it seemed that, either by intention or by coincidence, the American male tennis player was built that way.

A look at the likes of Reilly Opelka, Christopher Eubanks, John Isner, Sam Querrey, and Taylor Fritz, to name a few, buttresses this point. Probably the most archetypal example of this approach in the modern game is Ben Shelton, a player whose game is based entirely on his booming serve and forehand, routinely hitting serves over 143 miles per hour. However, in recent years, there has been a growing deviation from that norm, as the modern American male tennis player has a bit more to his game.

Maybe the first real example of that deviation is Tommy Paul, a player who, in contrast, grew up on clay and whose game is built more on transition, with a style that is very much all-court. Yet, even he has a good serve and forehand to boot. In many ways, he feels a bit like a hybrid version of both sides – the serve and forehand bot vs the all-round game.

Interestingly, in the last year or so, no one has done more than Learner Tien to dispel the previously held notions about the American male tennis player. His game could not be more far removed from the stereotypical American style–a lefty counterpuncher with an incredible ability to redirect pace. He is adept at problem-solving and out-grinding opponents in long, draining rallies. In many ways, other than both being lefties, he is the antithesis of Ben Shelton’s approach to the game.

Measuring in at 5 feet, 11 inches in height, the big serve and forehand tactics were probably never an option on the table to start with. His serve at best is functional, generally hovering around 100-115 miles per hour. Instead, the young American has forged a game based on defensive baseline play with elite retrieval, backed by remarkable speed and court coverage. Probably his greatest strengths are his exceptionally high fitness and consistency, coupled with a high tennis IQ. In the short time he has been on the main tour, there is growing evidence that he is a top player in the making.

There have already been several wins against some of the best players in the world, and again this week, he knocked out Shelton at Indian Wells, in what was an obvious contrast of styles. Maybe the one thing he shares with his compatriots is his continued preference for hard courts, with the majority of his best results coming on that surface. Under the tutelage of Michael Chang, they have been working to improve his all-court game and offensive skill set, and there is no reason this shouldn’t prove fruitful, as all the necessary tools are already in place. So much so that he even received praise from the men’s tennis greatest player, Novak Djokovic, who said, “he has all of the preconditions or precursors of becoming a really good tennis player,” further adding that it is now up to Tien.

For Tien, as Djokovic also alluded to, it now seems a matter of time to see how he uses all that talent and what heights he can reach. For American tennis, though, and all the young kids learning the game, one wonders what impact watching a player like Tien and his style might have, especially if he goes on to achieve many great things. Will it be the catalyst for further deviation from the identity of the American male tennis player? And maybe a more pertinent question is whether a change in approach to the game is, in fact, what is needed. After all, the reality remains that since Andy Roddick won the US Open in 2003, the country is yet to produce another Grand Slam winner, making it 23 years on.

Also worrying is that despite having had several Americans consistently in the Top 20 of the men’s game, no one has, in that time, looked likely to win a Slam–with the closest and most recent being Taylor Fritz at the 2024 US Open, where he was comprehensively beaten in straight sets by Jannik Sinner. It certainly suggests that an overhaul may even be required, especially when watching the complete-game styles of their European adversaries, who dominate the Majors.

It certainly feels that, despite improvements in the American male tennis sector, it has yet to impose itself on the modern tennis landscape truly. It now feels like a crossroads moment, where it must decide what path it sees for its future and what it wants to be. Whatever happens in the future, no doubt, one player will lead this charge and provide further impetus for what direction American male tennis needs to go. His name is Learner Tien.