Learner Tien's serve has been a hot topic in the early days of his professional tennis journey. Often criticized for this aspect of his game, Tien himself has acknowledged it as a weakness. But that's changing-and fast.
In a thrilling second-round match at the Delray Beach Open, Tien unleashed an astounding 20 aces to secure a 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) victory over Miomir Kecmanovic. Yes, you read that right-twenty aces in a best-of-three match. That's a number that would make even the most formidable servers take notice.
This performance marks a stark contrast to his 2025 outing at the same tournament, where Tien's serve faltered in a third-set tiebreaker against Matteo Arnaldi. Back then, he managed just three aces compared to Arnaldi’s 24, highlighting a significant gap that Tien knew he had to bridge.
And bridge it he did. "I’ve spent a lot more time on it," Tien, now ranked No. 23 in the world, shared after his hard-fought win over Kecmanovic.
"It’s still a work in progress; I don’t think it’s a complete product by any means. But I see the improvement in certain matches, and it’s very motivating."
Tien’s recent performances back up his words. He matched Marin Cilic’s ace count in their Dallas first-round clash and hit double-digit aces twice during his Australian Open quarterfinal run, including 21 against Marcos Giron.
Against Kecmanovic, Tien won a remarkable 85 percent of his first-serve points. While aces played a big role, it was also about smart serve-plus-one tactics, allowing him to take control of rallies from the get-go. Once Tien gains the upper hand, his baseline prowess ensures he rarely relinquishes it.
His post-match comments reveal a mindset focused on growth. Describing his serving improvements as "motivating" rather than "satisfying" shows Tien's drive to keep pushing his limits.
If this upward trajectory continues, the rest of the tour will need to take notice. Tien’s game is evolving, and with a serve to match his baseline skills, the sky's the limit.