Tien topples Tomic at Fairfield Challenger, joins Fritz & Roddick in American history
Fans better get used to the name Learner Tien.
The #NextGenATP star joined elite company in the record books Sunday, when he became the fourth American to win three ATP Challenger Tour titles before his 19th birthday. Taylor Fritz, Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey also achieved the feat.
Tien was crowned champion at the Taube – Grossman Pro Tennis Tournament, an ATP Challenger 75 event in Fairfield, California, his home state. The lefty raced past Australian Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-1 in a 39-minute final, the shortest championship match in Challenger history. Tien boasts a 28-6 season record at the Challenger level with three titles: Bloomfield Hills, Las Vegas and Fairfield. He is up to a career-high No. 124 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
“If you would have told me six months ago that this is how my year would’ve looked, I probably would’ve been a bit sceptical,” Tien told commentator Mike Cation. “But I’m really happy with how I’m playing right now and still have a few more to end the year, so hopefully I can keep it rolling.”
At 18 years, 10 months, Tien is the youngest player to win his third Challenger title since an 18-year-old Holger Rune in 2021. Tien is sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. He is aiming for maiden qualification for the the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which runs from 18-22 December in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Villa Maria
In other Challenger action, it was less straightforward for Camilo Ugo Carabelli, who survived a marathon final to lift his seventh Challenger trophy at the AAT Challenger Santander Edicion Villa Maria. The 25-year-old Argentine overcame Dutchman Jesper de Jong 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4 after three hours, during which Ugo Carabelli saved 10 of the 16 break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Ugo Carabelli has won three Challenger titles in 2024.
“[Jesper] defeated me in a great battle at the Australian Open, third round of qualifying… I served for the match and I lost, and today that situation came to my mind,” Ugo Carabelli said in Spanish. “The support of the people here made me strong to help me to get the victory.”
<img alt=”Camilo Ugo Carabelli celebrates winning the Villa Maria Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/14/14/00/ugo-carabelli-villamariach-2024.jpg” />
Camilo Ugo Carabelli celebrates winning the Villa Maria Challenger. Credit: Omar Erre
Valencia
Spaniard Pedro Martinez was crowned champion at the Copa Faulcombridge by Marcos Automocion to reach a career-high No. 39 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The top seed did not drop a set all week to lift his seventh Challenger title. Martinez defeated Portugal’s Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-3 in the final.
Dominant week from start to finish 🫡 👑
No sets dropped in Valencia for @PedroMPortero as he captures the title with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Jaime Faria!#ATPChallenger | @copafbvalencia pic.twitter.com/pupcVVYEx2
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) October 13, 2024
Hangzhou
Australian James Duckworth fought off an early scare en route to a title run at the Hangzhou Binjiang International Tennis Challenger. Duckworth, 32, saved a match point in a hard-fought, opening-round match against Yasutaka Uchiyama and built upon his momentum to claim his 15th Challenger title.
The Sydney native rallied past American Mackenzie McDonald 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final. Duckworth is the fourth active player to win 15 Challenger titles: Ricardas Berankis, Mikhail Kukushkin (16) and Facundo Bagnis (17).
<img alt=”James Duckworth during the Hangzhou Challenger final.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/14/14/13/duckworth-hangzhouch-2024.jpg” />
James Duckworth during the Hangzhou Challenger final. Credit: Hangzhou Binjiang International Tennis Challenger
Roanne
Home favourite Benjamin Bonzi won his second Challenger title of the season and 10th overall at the Open Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes de Roanne. The 28-year-old downed four fellow Frenchmen en route to the title, including a 7-5, 6-1 final victory against Matteo Martineau.
<img alt=”Benjamin Bonzi wins the Roanne Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2024/10/14/14/22/bonzi-roannech-2024.jpg” />
Benjamin Bonzi wins the Roanne Challenger. Credit: Open Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes de Roanne