Learner Tien said he holds no grudge after giving up his place to Jannik Sinner in the rescheduled Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia. The American had been named as a replacement while Sinner recovered from a knee injury, but the Italian is now expected to be ready for the event.
The tournament was moved from October 21–24 to December 27–30. Tien had been due to receive £1.2 million for taking part, while the winner is set to earn £3.5 million. The lineup also includes Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Alex De Minaur.
Speaking to BB Tennis after beating Adolfo Vallejo in the first round of the Paris Masters, Tien said he had expected Sinner to return. He noted that postponing the event gave the five-time major champion an additional two and a half months to recover, adding: “I was happy to see him back playing.”
Tien, 20, will next face Frenchman Luca Van Assche. The American has two ATP Tour titles, having won in Metz last year and Geneva in May. He reached a career-high ranking of 12 but is currently ranked 21st.
Sources: Tennis365.