Returning to his preferred hard court surface after an unsuccessful clay and grass season, Tien surprised many by defeating Rublev in straight sets. Tien has now won four of his five matches against top 10 opponents this year, having previously beaten Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev in Acapulco, Ben Shelton in Mallorca, and now Rublev in Washington.
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Tien celebrates a point against Rublev in the second round of the Washington Open on 23/7. Photo: ATP |
Tien celebrates a point against Rublev in the second round of the Washington Open on 23/7. Photo: ATP
Tien maintained a balanced contest with Rublev in the first set with his consistent baseline play. The set reached a dramatic climax in the final games, with Tien saving three set points in the 10th game before immediately breaking Rublev's serve in the next. The 19-year-old then closed out the set with a dominant service game, as Rublev appeared mentally affected by the missed opportunities.
The Russian player continued to struggle in the first game of the second set, losing his serve at love. Tien maintained this advantage until the end of the set, once again saving three break points. Squandered opportunities were Rublev's biggest problem in this match, stemming from his aggressive, all-or-nothing playing style. Two of his three missed break points resulted from unforced errors.
In the final game, Rublev saved two match points, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 2-6 defeat. Tien's next opponent in the third round is another veteran, 12th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. A victory would set up a quarterfinal clash with top seed Taylor Fritz.
Other players advancing to the third round include Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Daniil Medvedev, and Alex de Minaur. Among them, Tiafoe is expected to face a tough challenge against rising Italian star Flavio Cobolli, who recently reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals, losing to Novak Djokovic.
The Washington Open is a prestigious ATP 500 event established in 1969. It kicks off the North American hard court season and often lacks top-seeded players who have just competed at Wimbledon. However, it attracts most of the best American players and those ranked just below. Jannik Sinner won the tournament in 2021 before becoming world number one. Last year, Sebastian Korda defeated Cobolli in the final to claim the title. However, Korda is absent this year due to injury.
Tien was born on 2/12/2005 in the US to Vietnamese parents. Since turning professional, he has won three Challenger titles, competed in four Grand Slams, and reached the quarterfinals of an ATP 250 tournament. In his previous three Grand Slam appearances, Tien lost in the first round at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 US Open.
Vy Anh
