At Indian Wells, Learner Tien gets a memory to keep
On Sunday at Indian Wells, Learner Tien took a big step, knocking off countryman Ben Shelton in the third round. The 20-year-old Californian won in three sets: 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3.
The match was on Stadium One, the tournament’s main court. A place Tien knows well — and not just because he’s played on it.
As a kid he used to come here to watch matches. Mid-match he spotted the exact corner in the stands where he used to sit, down to his left. Those memories hit him during play.
From the players’ bench he could still pick out that spot. For the Irvine native, standing on that court now as a main-draw player carries weight.
A bruising duel with Ben Shelton
On court the match was tight from first to last. Ben Shelton, currently world No.8, is still one of the biggest hitters on tour.
His serve and heavy groundstrokes troubled Tien all match. Rallies were often short — Shelton kept trying to finish points early.
Tien had to adapt, swallow a few messy patches and ride the stops and starts. He admitted there were tense moments when the match could have slipped away.
But in the final set the Californian seized control and closed it out.
Score final: 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3.
Next up: a new test
With the win, Learner Tien moves on in the California Masters 1000.
It’s another scalp against a top-10 player — the kind of result he’s already pulled off several times despite his youth.
Next round he’ll face Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, No.19 in the ATP rankings.
For the Irvine player the run continues at a tournament that shaped his childhood — he sat in these stands long before he ever played here.
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