Rising tennis star Learner Tien, 20, has appointed American tennis great Michael Chang as his new coach. The collaboration began midway through 2025.
Chang, a former world No. 2 and the youngest male to win a singles major at the 1989 French Open, will guide Tien, who shares Asian-American heritage and California roots with Chang. Their paths initially crossed in Hong Kong over a year ago.
Tien achieved a breakout season in 2025, reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 26. He secured his first ATP title and won the Next Generation ATP Finals. A significant moment for Tien was his second-round victory over Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open in 2025, which helped him enter the Top 100 ranking.
Chang expressed confidence in Tien's potential, noting that Tien beat more Top 10 players in the past year than almost any other player besides Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Chang highlighted Tien's cerebral approach to the game as a positive match for his coaching style.
Tien, who has Vietnamese heritage, commented that the shared background with Chang facilitates communication. He noted that the partnership has been a good fit, with his agent managing the arrangements.