Gael Monfils‘s Canadian Open campaign came to an end in Montreal, but that did not stop his opponent Learner Tien from showing a classy gesture towards the Frenchman. The young American had nothing but praise for the former World No.8 and had kind words for him after the match.

“It’s an honor for me to share the court with him, it’s a childhood dream of mine,” said Tien during his on-court interview after the win. “I am super happy it finally happened.”

That was not all, as the young American made the moment even more memorable by asking Monfils to sign a ball for him.

With the 2026 season being Monfil’s last, the Frenchman has received massive support wherever he has played. Even in Montreal, when he won his first-round match against Kamil Majchrzak, the whole stadium just broke into applause for the former Top-10 player. Coming into the match against Tien, it was expected to be a tight contest.

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Even though the match went to three sets, the stakes were not that high, with both players making over 40 unforced errors, and Tien going over 50. The American had the upper hand in the first set, clinching it 6-3, but had a complete meltdown in the second set, making eighteen unforced errors. Monfils took the second set 6-0, and broke Tien’s serve to go 1-0 up, with the momentum with him.

However, Tien broke back in the next game to tie at 1-1 and, from thereon, had a decent showing, breaking Monfils’ serve one more time in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. That lead was enough for the American as he closed out the set at 6-3, winning the match.

Tien is not the only young American who’s a fan of the charismatic Monfils, as Ben Shelton had kind words for the Frenchman after their match at the Australian Open last year. Shelton, too, confessed to watching Monfils’s matches from an early age, stating that the Frenchman had the “best highlight tape”. Monfils was known for his tremendous athletic abilities, unique shots, and signature jump-smash at the net, all of which would have understandably made him the favorite among many upcoming tennis stars.

Having made it past his dream match, Tien will have the challenge of facing his compatriot in the next round of the Canadian Open.

Learner Tien to Face Tommy Paul in the Next Round of the Canadian Open

Having gone past Monfils, Learner Tien will face compatriot Tommy Paul in the next round of the Canadian Open. Paul has been in fine form this year, winning the title in Houston and having three runner-up finishes in Delray Beach, Hamburg, and at Queens. He began his campaign in Toronto with a second-round win against Valentin Vacherot, having gotten a bye in the first round.

Tien has been in good form himself this season, winning the title in Geneva and having a breakthrough quarterfinal run at the Australian Open. He did face Paul at the Delray Beach Open this year, but came up short in a tight three-set match.

Both Tien and Paul will look to get a deep run in Canada after early exits in Washington to build up their form in the lead-up to the US Open. However, Paul is a former semifinalist at this event, reaching the last four in 2023, and has two wins over Carlos Alcaraz on this court, making the senior American the slight favorite against his young compatriot.