What Lerner Tien has previously said about Novak Djokovic as they meet for the first time at the US Open

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Novak Djokovic will soon begin his 19th US Open singles campaign in his ongoing pursuit of securing a 25th Grand Slam title. 

After weeks away from the game, the Serb made his return to tour-level competition at Flushing Meadows, playing alongside Olga Danilovic in the revamped mixed doubles competition. 

Following his semifinal exit at Wimbledon, Djokovic withdrew from the Canadian Open and pulled out of the Cincinnati Open, opting not to feature at any hard-court tune-up events.

Lack of match play has not stopped the former world number one before, however, and he is still among the favourites to hoist the title in New York.

The 2025 US Open draw has given Djokovic a favourable path, which kicks off against a home hope.

Learner Tien’s comments about Novak Djokovic in July

In the opening round, he will come against 19-year-old Learner Tien in what marks a first career clash between the two.

While it may just seem like an ordinary first-round matchup for Djokovic, it is one that the American has been eager to experience for a while.

In an interview with Rennae Stubbs at the Washington Open earlier this summer, Tien said: “I’d love to play Novak before he retires”

He added: “I didn’t watch Fed & Rafa much. They were on the older side when I started watching. I watched a lot of Novak & Carlos”

Learner Tien’s record at Grand Slam events so far in his career

Despite still being a teenager, Tien is now entering his fourth US Open campaign, having already experienced the main draw of the tournament three years in a row.

In 2022, at just 16 years of age, he won the USTA Boys 18s National Championship, which earned him a wildcard into the event.

He became the youngest player to appear in the men’s singles draw at the US Open since 2005, and went on to qualify for the first round again in 2023 and 2024.

This year, Tien has featured at each Grand Slam for the first time, with his best finish coming at the Australian Open in January.

The young US star reached the fourth round in Melbourne, earning victories over the likes of Daniil Medvedev and Corentin Moutet.

After early exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, Tien will look to get off to a strong start in front of a home crowd at the US Open, but it will no picnic against arguably the greatest player of all time.