Tien beats Mensik in five-set thriller to successful Next Gen ATP Finals debut
The Czech hit 20 aces during the match – a record in the tournament’s history.
Learner-Tien-US-Open-2023
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
American Learner Tien made a successful debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals with a five-set thrilling win over Jakub Mensik in Jeddah on Wednesday.
Tien won the first two sets in tiebreaks 4-3 before Mensik, who is the ATP Newcomer of the Year award winner, fought back to take the third and fourth sets. The final set went down to the wire, with Tien saving a matchpoint before finally emerging a 4-3(6), 4-3(3), 2-4, 2-4, 4-3(8) winner.
I just fought in the fifth and I am just really happy to get through it.
“It was tough playing a guy that serves that well,” Tien said. “It puts a lot of pressure on your serve. When you get your chance, you have to capitalise, because you don’t know when you’re going to get more.”
“I feel great. I was up two sets to love, and found myself break point down in the fifth, which was tough. I thought he played really well in the third and fourth, I felt like I didn’t just give it to him. So I just fought in the fifth and I am just really happy to get through it.”
Mensik hit 20 aces in the contest – the most in any Next Gen ATP Finals match in thr tournament’s history.
In the second match of the Green Group on Wednesday, top seed Arthur Fils will take on Brazil’s Joao Fonseca.
