Learner Tien’s debut Asian swing has been highly productive, further enhancing an already impressive first full season on the main tour. He began by reaching the quarterfinals in Hangzhou and followed it up with notable upsets over players like Lorenzo Musetti and Daniil Medvedev in Beijing, advancing all the way to a title clash with Jannik Sinner.
This marked Tien’s career-best result on the main tour, as he had never previously advanced beyond the quarterfinals. By reaching the title match against Jannik Sinner, he became only the third teenager in 2025 to play a championship match on the main tour. Following this impressive run in Beijing, Tien achieved a career-high ranking of No. 36, making him the youngest player currently inside the top 50.
Tien has now had two back-to-back demanding campaigns, playing eight matches, including five three-setters, so he will need significant physical recovery to perform at his best in his Shanghai Masters debut this week. He enters this clash with a 3-3 record in first-round Masters matches, all six of his appearances coming in 2025.
Miomir Kecmanovic began his Asian swing in Beijing last week, putting in a fighting performance in the opening round against Jakub Mensik, but he fell short, losing 5-7, 4-6. He is now on a three-match losing streak on the main tour, and his season win-loss record has slipped into negative territory at 24-25, putting him on track for a third consecutive season ending with more losses than wins.
The Serbian has enjoyed considerable success in China’s Challenger events during his developmental years, but that form has not translated to the main tour during the Asian swing. So far, he has yet to produce any notable results in this phase. Specifically at the Shanghai Masters, he has played four matches across three editions and won only once.
Head-to-Head: Miomir Kecmanovic leads 1-0. Although Learner Tien has an extra day to recover, having been scheduled to start his first-round match on Friday, he will still need to manage his conditioning carefully for this clash. This scenario creates an opportunity for Kecmanovic to capitalize if Tien’s legs are fatigued.
