Are you ready to witness a blockbuster clash in Jeddah? America’s Learner Tien will take Arthur Fils (FRA) on Day 3 of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Both these players have won one and lost one in this tournament so far. So, whoever wins this match will take a step forward towards the SF. Arthur Fils reached the final of this tournament in 2023. Can he make yet another deep run in this tournament or will Tien bring an end to his hopes in Jeddah this year?
Arthur Fils started his season with an impressive performance at the Hong Kong Open. He reached the QF over there and after that, he reached the SF at the ASB Classic. Fils won three titles this season! The first one came at the Challenger Bordeaux, FR and then the next one came at the German Open where he defeated the current world number 2, Alexander Zverev 6-3,3-6,7-6(1). His third title triumph came at the Japan Open where he defeated his compatriot Ugo Humbert in a three-set thriller. Here in Jeddah, he started his campaign with a defeat against Joao Fonseca (BRA). However, he came back to the winning track in the second match against Jakub Mensik (CZE).
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Rien vu du match, mais une belle victoire pour Arthur Fils 🇫🇷, face à un Mensik 🇨🇿 loin d’être prêt encore.
Le match vs Tien, sera bien mignon ! 😍 pic.twitter.com/bDfRuy4tTG
— Romain 🎾🇫🇷 (@RomainNextGen) December 19, 2024
Learner Tien also had an outstanding season this year, however mostly it has been on the Challenger Tour. He has won quite a few titles this season. Tien reached the QF of the Winston-Salem Open this year and after that, we saw him giving a tough fight at the Challenger Knoxville, US. He reached the final over there but was defeated by Christopher Eubanks by 7-5,7-6(9). In the Next Gen ATP Finals, he started his campaign with a win against Mensik, but he was defeated by the Brazilian rising star, Joao Fonseca in the second match. Fonseca defeated the American 4-0,4-0,1-4,4-0. Can Learner Tien bounce back to winning tracks yet again?
Arthur Fils has faced this 19-year-old American only once in his career. He currently has a lead of 1-0 over Learner Tien in the head-to-head record. Now it’ll be interesting to see if Tien can pull one back in his favor in their second meeting.
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The 20-year-old Frenchman has already announced his name on the biggest stages of the game. His performance against some of the finest of the game portrays how far this young lad has come over the years. He has a win-loss record of 38-26 this season and on the other hand, Learner Tien has a win-loss record of 4-3 on the main Tour. So, considering their overall records in the big matches this season, we feel, Arthur Fils (20) has an edge in this contest against Learner Tien (122).
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Now, if we take a look at their playing styles, Arthur Fils has a power-packed style of play characterized by a strong serve and forehand. He has hit a total of 364 aces this season. Arthur Fils will be looking forward to dictating the game right from the start. Now the question is, can Tien throw up a strong challenge against the Frenchman’s explosive style of play?
Learner Tien also loves playing an aggressive brand of tennis. His dynamic approach, combined with quick footwork enables him to respond effectively in various playing conditions. We’re expecting Tien’s incredible variations will make things a bit difficult for Arthur Fils in this epic encounter. However, looking at the number of matches Fils has played against the top players this season, we expect him to find a formula to success in this match and make it to the SF in Jeddah yet again!
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