ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2026

Learner Tien

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Learner, welcome to Paris. Just want to know how you're feeling after a great week in Geneva, both physically and mentally.

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I feel pretty good in general. A lot more confidence for sure than I had a few weeks ago. Yeah, happy to be back in Paris, and excited to get going tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congrats on the title. I know you have spoken in the past about how maybe clay wasn't necessarily something you've fully figured out. I'm just wondering if you can look into the details of what necessarily was the tricky part of it, and what do you feel you're doing better now, especially that you really beat a lot of legitimate clay-courters in this past week?

LEARNER TIEN: I would say a big part of it was confidence. I would say a big part of it was also the movement. I think I wasn't really used to, you know, the positioning and kind of what to expect from, you know, what I would receive off of a certain shot I would hit and stuff like that.

I'd say a little bit shot selection too. I'm still trying to figure that out. It's a work in progress. It's definitely improved. I definitely see, you know, the improvements match to match, but I think it's all coming together still.

There are some moments where I kind of revert to what I'm used to, which isn't as effective on the clay sometimes, but it's definitely improved a lot.

Q. Just wondering, because there's a lot of stats now that you're the youngest since this -- one of the stats is you're the youngest since your coach to win a title on clay. I think you're the youngest American to do that. I'm wondering, do you look at these things? Does it mean anything to you? As a follow-up to that, is there anything in particular you feel that Michael Chang has helped you on this surface?

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, his tournament was a bit bigger than mine (smiling), and also a few years younger, but I think we've put in a lot of work on the clay in the last couple of months.

I think he's really helped me see my game on the clay a lot better, and I've kind of been finding, you know, I'd say my identity on the clay and my way to win. I think last year especially I was a bit unsure going on court of what my way of winning was.

On hard court I know what to do, I know how I win. On clay last year I was, you know, a bit lost in that aspect I think, and I've really kind of discovered that a lot more this year with a lot of his help.

Q. Did you train already here in Paris, on clay of Paris, because it seems it's very quick for the moment because of the weather, of course?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, my first hit will be in, like, an hour. I guess I'll see then (smiling). I've heard. I've watched a couple of matches, and it definitely looks like things are moving quick, so...

Q. Can you tell a few words about Rafa Jodar and Alexander Blockx?

LEARNER TIEN: I think the last couple of months, last few tournaments a lot of young guys have been coming up. I guess I wouldn't call them young, like, young guys, because they're around my age. A lot of the, I'd say, the, quote, unquote, Next Gen players are starting to come through.

You know, it's good to see. I think a lot of new faces, new names are kind of showing they belong, and I think it's great. You know, a lot of these guys I feel like didn't even have much tour experience maybe three months ago, and a lot of them are making these deep runs at these Masters events and probably at this event, as well. I think it's great to see.

Q. Maybe you can say one thing on Rafa and one thing of Alex, just a few words on each of them?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, Alex I've known for a while. I mean, ever since juniors. I think, like, when I played Les Petits, I think he played the same year as me. He was already very good as a junior then.

I think I lost to him in Australia in the finals a few years ago, and I think it's taken him maybe a little longer to break through, but obviously he's shown he really belongs, and he has the level to compete at these big events.

I think it's great to see. Rafa, he went to school. I think it's a little different than a lot of Europeans. I feel like it's more common for Americans to go the route of college. I think it's great to see how quick he's kind of adapting and how he's doing.

It seems like he's just adapting very fast to tour life in general, and I think it's great to see these young guys kind of come out and kind of show they belong at a fast pace.

Q. I just wanted to ask you about the whole Next Gen thing, because it seems that the entire generation is really translating the results from, like, a good Next Gen run to immediately do well on the tour, which isn't a guarantee, but it's kind of we're seeing people are adapting quicker. Are you getting that sense? When you were in that phase of, you know, just stepping up to the tour, what sense of urgency did you have where you're not paying attention to that? I'm just wondering the mentality of that part.

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, I think it's a bit crazy actually just the Next Gen tournament from last year. So many of the player field has already done so well early in the year.

I wouldn't say it's surprising, because you know, from when I've played them and from juniors, they've already been very good. I think they've already shown very quickly that they can compete.

I think a lot of these younger guys just have a lot of belief, I'd say, and they feel like they belong. I think having that confidence and belief in yourself, you know, maybe when you don't quite yet have the wins or the results to back it up, I think it's very important, because I think just having that confidence really helps you make that next step maybe a little bit easier than someone that doesn't really believe that they belong quite yet.

I think a lot of the guys that are kind of making that transition really have that belief in themselves that they're ready.

Q. You had to win a title on the eve of a slam, which is not something that happens often. I'm just wondering for you, how are you managing the turnaround? What are you feeling, because you have a match tomorrow, and you are going to hit for the first time today. So this is something relatively new, I guess. How are you managing that part?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, a bit different than what I'm used to, I guess. I was fortunate. It was a three-hour train ride here, so it's not like I had to take a long flight to get here by any means. I think that part is nice.

Obviously you try to enjoy winning the tournament and maybe take the rest of the day just to not really think about Paris and just enjoy the week. And then the next day it's kind of onto the next, and I have to prep for my next match, which I think I'd have three days -- two, three days in between.

I think it's a balance of kind of enjoying the success I've had the week before and then still being able to refocus for my next match.