Coach Michael Chen discusses Learner Tien's potential and passion

The partnership between the rising 20-year-old American and Hall of Famer Michael Chang has already produced strong results.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Michael Chen, who rarely takes on coaching roles since retiring from the tour, has been working with rising 20-year-old American tennis player Learner Tien since midway through last season. The two share a similar background and outlook on the game, which has helped lay the foundation for a successful collaboration. Chen discusses how the partnership came together, the parallels between their careers, and his hopes for Tien's continued development and success this season.

Why it matters

The partnership between Chen and Tien has already yielded impressive results, with Tien breaking into the top 30 and defeating several top-10 players. As one of the youngest players in the top 30, Tien's continued progress under Chen's guidance could signal the emergence of a new American tennis star.

The details

Chen, a Hall of Famer who won the 1989 French Open at age 17 and later rose to No. 2 in the world, was initially hesitant about taking on a coaching role but was intrigued by the opportunity to mentor Tien, a rising young American with a similar background. The two share a Southern California upbringing, Asian-American heritage, and analytical approach to the game, which has helped them develop a strong working relationship. Chen has focused on improving Tien's serve and making him less predictable, with the goal of helping him become more comfortable on clay courts, an area where he struggled last year.

  • Tien and Chen first met briefly in Hong Kong in the week after Wimbledon 2025.
  • Chen's team received a call from Tien's agent, Mats Merkel, about the possibility of working together after Wimbledon 2025.
  • Tien won his first ATP title at the last tournament of the 2025 season in Metz, France, mirroring Chen's own career path.

The players

Michael Chang

A Hall of Famer who won the 1989 French Open at age 17 and later rose to No. 2 in the world. He has rarely taken on coaching roles since retiring from the tour, but the opportunity to mentor Tien proved intriguing.

Learner Tien

A rising 20-year-old American tennis player who reached the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open and is currently the youngest player in the top 30, seeded No. 25 at the BNP Paribas Open.

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What they’re saying

“I happened to be in Macau the week before Hong Kong for an event that was kind of like an Asian version of the Laver Cup. I was one of the captains and Li Na was the other captain. The following week I was in Hong Kong, and Learner was hitting on the court next to my daughter and me. We met briefly there and just said hello.”

— Michael Chang (latimes.com)

“Honestly, it's pretty smooth because Learner is easygoing. There's nothing difficult about him. I don't feel like he's somebody that's high-strung or high-maintenance. It's not like, 'Hey, I've got to have this, I've got to have that.' I just don't get that sense.”

— Michael Chang (latimes.com)

“One of the first things we worked on was the serve. We wanted to make it more of a weapon, with more power and more variety.”

— Michael Chang (latimes.com)

What’s next

Tien will face No. 18 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open on Tuesday.

The takeaway

The partnership between Chen and Tien highlights the value of mentorship and shared experiences in developing young tennis talent. Their collaboration has already produced impressive results, and Tien's continued progress under Chen's guidance could signal the emergence of a new American tennis star.