By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo
On Wednesday, Learner Tien upsets No. 1 Alexander Zverev (6-3, 6-4) in the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open in Acapulco.
Based on his performance against a top player like Zverev, the 19-year-old Tien has a tremendous tennis IQ. He uses the court very well and manages to spread his opponents and throw them off their game.
Tien and Brazilian player Joao Fonseca have been the talk of the town in Tennis lately. Tien is someone to keep an eye on. He has great composure and looks hungry for more success. In less than two months, Tien has beaten two top-five players.
One of the things we have to notice is his mental toughness. Tien was trailing 4-1 in the second set, and his rally and score of six unanswered points to win the match was outstanding. He did not lose control and maintained focus. Tien doesn’t come across as overzealous or egotistical. It was a great match for both men.
Zverev looked gassed. We might be overanalyzing, but he didn’t look like his usual self in the second set. Could it be that it’s time for him to rest for a while?
Zverev might not want to rest, but truth be told, many sports fans want him to win more often. However, we can’t blame Zverev for not feeling satisfied with being No. 1 in the tournament, knowing that Jannik Sinner is banned for a few months.
His mindset is to go through Sinner to earn the status of the world’s No. 1 tennis player. Therefore, he has the right attitude and mindset.
In the meantime, Tien is having a fantastic moment in his young tennis career, capturing this victory.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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