With the grass courts gone and the hard courts ready, American tennis players look set to bring the heat. The Mubadala Citi DC Open is buzzing, packed with thrilling matches as players aim to make their mark on the fresh surface. Names like Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe grab the spotlight, but rising star Learner Tien is making waves too. After turning heads at the Grand Slams this year, the American pushed further in D.C. Even though his run ended sooner than hoped, Coco Gauff’s former coach had a few observations to share.

On Thursday, Tien faced a tough battle against Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The 19-year-old showed his trademark grit but couldn’t overcome Fokina’s experience, falling in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. It was tough to watch the young star exit after his big win over Andrey Rublev just a round earlier.

Still, Brad Gilbert—who once coached Coco Gauff to her epic 2023 US Open win—sees big potential in Tien. After the match, Gilbert tweeted: “Fast 💨 Lerner is 13-16 on the year, very impressive stat he is 4-2 on the year vs top 10 @SharkoTennis once he starts to get more consistent week to week, should make a move up ⬆️the @atptour rankings.” Could he be right? Let’s find out!

The American teen keeps turning heads in 2025, now owning a 4-1 record against Top 10 foes this season and standing 4-2 overall as a pro. His secret? Skip the first round—he’s 0-2 there—but step onto the court for a second-round match, and he’s 4-0 against the big guns. He’s toppled some top names: Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev in Acapulco, Ben Shelton on Mallorca’s grass, and just this week, Andrey Rublev in D.C.

Rublev arrived in Washington as the clear favorite, hot off back-to-back Grand Slam fourth rounds and a semifinal in Los Cabos. On Wednesday, Learner Tien showed nerves of steel. He fended off three set points, survived a tough 54-minute opener, then burst out to dominate the second set, clinching a sparkling win over another Top 10 adversary.

This isn’t Brad Gilbert’s first time voicing his faith in Tien. Back in February, Tien returned at Delray Beach following the Australian Open. He started strong, outplaying Australia’s Adam Walton 6-4, 6-3 in the opener. Friday brought a challenge in Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi. Two sets went to nail-biting tiebreakers. He fought hard, standing his ground, but lost a thriller 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(1).

Yet, even in defeat, Gilbert was right there with Tien on X, raving: “Watching fast Learner vs Arnaldi good match so far.” He praised Tien’s firepower, saying the teen packs “a very sneaky 😈 big fearhand” and loves “the way he hugs the baseline.”

He may be out of D.C., but Tien isn’t slowing down. With those stats, it’s clear—he’s reaching for the stars, both in the rankings and for his next challenge.

Learner Tien sets sights on the last Big Three legend

After an electrifying start at the tournament, he rode this high, but Tien’s sights were set way above the DC courts. In a lively Hyundai Talk with Rennae Stubbs at the Citi Open, Tien got real about chasing the ultimate showdown. “I’d love to play Novak before he retires,” he boldly declared. “I didn’t watch Fed & Rafa much. They were on the older side when I started watching (14-15 yrs old). I watched a lot of Novak & Carlos.” For him, Djokovic and Alcaraz weren’t just stars—they were the heroes lighting up his own formative years, bridging a generational gap and fueling his dreams.

Looks like big stages and big names don’t rattle this teen. Learner Tien carries a cool perspective on winning and losing, a mindset shaped by his parents’ steady encouragement. As he shared during the Miami Open, “Throughout juniors, my parents did a very good job, honestly, of not putting a lot of pressure on me to win. You know, even though it felt like the end of the world when I would lose, like some random match. They did a pretty good job of just letting me know it’s pretty irrelevant whether you won or lost, we get better.” That grounded attitude is already turning heads across the tour.

With his DC run wrapped up, Tien gets a breather to rest and reload for the next Grand Slam. He’s no stranger to the US Open, having played the main draw as a wildcard in 2022, 2023, and 2024—and even reaching the boys’ final in 2023. The stage might just be set for a blazing comeback, especially with Brad Gilbert cheering from the sidelines. What do you think?