Up close with Learner Tien in Delray
The 20-year-old American talks rapid results, mentorship from Michael Chang, and an unlikely Medvedev doubles pairing.
I’m in Florida this week scoping out the ATP 250 in Delray Beach that brings some of the best men’s tennis players in the world to this laidback beach town. It’s incredibly charming, with county fair vibes, decent food (sushi and acai—approved), and a very blurred line between player and public spaces that would be a dream for any tennis fan. The minute I arrived I found myself trailing Corentin Moutet through the site—he was stopped a few times for photos but was largely able to go about his business (the American players don’t have it quite as easy). During a Taylor Fritz press conference in the outdoor workout area, young fans hung over the court seating right beside it and attempted to stream it online, whispering excitedly to themselves. Mattia Bellucci warmed up before his match against Miomir Kecmanović right outside the public restrooms—the kind of proximity that would never happen at a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam.
For the players it’s a more relaxed week on …
