Alex Michelsen vs Learner Tien Preview & Prediction | 2025 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships | First Round
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A battle of two of the rising stars of American tennis pits teenager Learner Tien against number five seed Alex Michelsen
Ranking points: ATP 250
Start date/time: Monday 31st March, 2025: UK – not before TBC / US ET – not before TBC / US PT – not before TBC
Venue: River Oaks Country Club, Houston, USA
Surface: Outdoor clay
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / US – Tennis Channel
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Alex Michelsen vs Learner Tien ticket information
Alex Michelsen vs Learner Tien prediction
The Houston crowd will be split heading into arguably the match of the first round as USA starlets Alex Michelsen and Learner Tien do battle for the first time on the ATP Tour.
Tien exploded into the headlines at the start of 2025 with his sensational five-set victory over three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open, propelling the teen into the global spotlight and the world’s top 100.
The 19-year-old backed that up by beating top seed and world number two Alexander Zverev in a surge to the quarter finals in Acapulco before disappointing first round defeats at Indian Wells and Miami.
Michelsen has also caught the eye with impressive victories over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Karen Khachanov in Melbourne as well as a run to the semi-finals at Delray Beach last month.
The 20-year-old was forced to retire early in his round three clash with Medvedev at Indian Wells but did recover from a reported bout of food poisoning to play in Miami where he was surprisingly beaten by lucky loser Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
This will be their first outing of the season on clay with both players favouring hard courts, although Michelsen has a slight edge in terms of experience on the surface on tour having played in the main draw at last year’s French Open.
It’s a tough one to call, but the dirt may help neutralise Michelsen’s powerhouse serve while the fifth seed will also have to contend with Tien being a leftie.
The younger American came out on top in a tight semi-final in the NextGen finals back in December and we are tipping Tien to edge it again here.
Alex Michelsen vs Learner Tien tip: Learner Tien to win 2-1
