Tien, Fearnley continue red-hot form with Challenger titles

  • Posted: Sep 17, 2024

American teen Learner Tien and Briton Jacob Fearnley are two of the most dominant players on the ATP Challenger Tour right now.

The #NextGenATP Tien added his name to elite company in American tennis history Sunday when he won his second Challenger title at the Las Vegas Tennis Open. Fearnley, 23, lifted his third trophy in just his fourth appearance at that level this year.

Tien, seeded third, overcame Tristan Boyer 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 in the Las Vegas Challenger final, during which Tien won 65 per cent of his second-serve return points, compared to Boyer’s 37 per cent.

“I put a lot more importance on return points. I know how much pressure winning a couple points in someone’s service games can make them feel,” Tien told commentator Bryan Fenley.

By triumphing on the Las Vegas hard courts, Tien became the fifth-youngest American to win multiple Challenger titles, only behind Taylor Fritz, Andy Roddick, Frances Tiafoe, and Sam Querrey.

Youngest Americans To Win A Second Challenger Title

Player Age Second Challenger Title
Taylor Fritz 17 years, 11 months 2015 Fairfield
Andy Roddick 18 years, two months 2000 Burbank
Frances Tiafoe 18 years, eight months 2016 Stockton
Sam Querrey 18 years, nine months, two days 2006 Winnetka
Learner Tien 18 years, nine months, 13 days 2024 Las Vegas

“I’m happy I was able to get through this week,” Tien said. “Tougher conditions here with the altitude and wind. Some moments I wasn’t playing as well as I wanted to, but I’m happy I was able to problem solve and make it through the week.”

In May, Tien was No. 432 in the PIF ATP Rankings, but the 18-year-old has since propelled to a career-high No. 151. The teenager claimed his maiden Challenger title in Bloomfield Hills in June amidst his 28-match winning streak — including four ITF World Tennis Tour titles — across all levels.

Tien is seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. He is aiming for his maiden trip to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December.

The Briton Fearnley beat three of the Top 4 seeds at the Open Blot Rennes, including fourth seed and home favourite Quentin Halys in the final, which Fearnley won 0-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 after saving 12 of the 15 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Fearnley completed his standout five-year collegiate career at Texas Christian University this year and has since made a rapid rise on the ATP Challenger Tour, boasting an 18-1 season record at that level. Up to a career-high No. 129 in the PIF ATP Rankings, Fearnley won his first major main-draw match at Wimbledon, where he then pushed Novak Djokovic to four sets in the second round.

In other Challenger action, Vit Kopriva went one step further than last year’s runner-up finish at the Invest In Szczecin Open to claim his fourth title. The Czech avenged last year’s final loss against Federico Coria in dramatic fashion, fending off five match points in the semi-finals to survive the Argentine. Kopriva raced past Andrea Pellegrino 7-5, 6-2 in the final.

“The whole week was very special. Very tough for me coming back after last year’s final,” Kopriva said. “I’m really happy for the whole week. Today’s final was up and down. It was windy. We both struggled a little bit at the beginning, losing service games. The first set was the deciding one and luckily I made it.” 

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/17/17/15/kopriva-szczecinch-2024.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Vit Kopriva wins the Szczecin Challenger.” />
Vit Kopriva wins the Challenger 125 event in Szczecin, Poland. Credit: Invest In Szczecin Open

Guy Den Ouden did not drop a set all week at the IZIDA Cup in Dobrich, Bulgaria, where the 22-year-old beat Jelle Sels 6-2, 6-3 in the final. Following the Dutchman’s maiden Challenger title, Den Ouden is up to a career-high No. 277 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Christopher O’Connell won his sixth Challenger title and first of this season at the Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open. The 30-year-old Australian, who has won a trophy on Asian hard courts each of the past three seasons, downed Sho Shimabukuro 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) in the championship match. O’Connell was competing in his first tournament since reaching the third round of the US Open and falling to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

<img src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/09/17/17/00/oconnell-guangzhouch-2024.jpg” style=”width:100%;” alt=”Christopher O’Connell in action at the Guangzhou Challenger.” />
Christopher O’Connell in action at the Guangzhou Challenger. Credit: Guangzhou Huangpu International Tennis Open

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