Tien’s parents came to the U.S. from Vietnam after the war—his mom on a boat that was mobbed by pirates—and settled in Irvine, Calif. His mother is a math teacher, and he was named after her profession; his sister, Justice, got her name from her lawyer father. (For more on Tien and his upbringing, watch the YouTube clip above.)
When Learner was asked whether he wanted to be a tennis pro, his answer was consistent—and as concise as you might expect.
“I’ll see how far I can go.”
Tien has gone much farther, much faster than he likely expected. By 16, he had graduated from high school, and won the prestigious 18-and-unders at Kalamazoo. After a brief stint at USC, he joined the pro tour. Last fall, he made his presence known at the Next Gen Finals, where he beat three higher-ranked players, Arthur Fils, Jakub Mensik and Michelsen, before losing in the final to Joao Fonseca.
