Learner Tien earned a statement win over Ben Shelton in the third round of the Indian Wells Open.
Tien beat Shelton in three sets in ‘Tennis Paradise’, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 to book his place in the round of 16, where he will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The 20-year-old American, seeded 25th at the ATP Masters 1000 event, secured a second consecutive victory against his compatriot, having beaten him in their first tour-level clash in Mallorca last year.
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Following his triumph, Tien had a message for Shelton, who he noticed was not feeling 100% during their match.
Learner Tien has high praise for Ben Shelton after beating him
In an interview with Tennis TV, Tien said: “I just want to say, Ben came out not feeling 100%. I don’t think he’s been feeling great all week, but he’s an amazing competitor, and he came out and gave it his all, so I just want to say huge props to him.
“But I’m super happy to be in the fourth round, especially here, it’s extra special. Even when he’s not at his best, his serve is still incredible.
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“The serve and forehand were really firing in some moments in the match, and you just never know.
“Nerves definitely played a role. I feel like I was missing some shots that I usually wouldn’t, and my rhythm was not fully there in some moments, but I’m just happy with how I stayed present and how I competed.”
Learner Tien says he does not think about ranking on the court
The result marked Tien’s sixth top ten win of his career, and he now has a win rate of 54.55% against such players, which ranks 13th in the Open Era.
Asked how he makes it look so easy against the world’s very top stars, Tien said: “I don’t think about rankings when I step on the court.
“I really believe that any time I step on the court, I have a chance to win, and I just go out and compete. Whatever happens, happens.”
Tien has earned wins over the likes of Shelton, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev so far in his career.
He has yet to beat any of the world’s top three: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
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