“My short-term goal is breaking Top 100. Besides that, haven’t really thought that far ahead” – Learner Tien. The 19-year-old American tennis player had said this right at the start of this season and guess what? He’s currently ranked 82 in the men’s singles. What a journey this has been for the young Californian.

He has already got off to a winning start at the 2025 Delray Beach Open and next up for him is another promising lad, Matteo Arnaldi (ITA). Even Arnaldi has been slowly and steadily climbing up the ladder in the ATP Rankings! So, this is going to be an interesting R16 clash to watch out for. Who will win this battle of two talented youngsters?

Learner Tien vs. Matteo Arnaldi: Preview

The finalist of the 2024 Next Gen ATP Final, Learner Tien started her 2025 season at the AO. After winning his three qualifier matches, Tien defeated Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the first round in a five-set thriller. However, in the next match, Learner Tien clinched one of the biggest victories in his career. He defeated the world number 8, Daniil Medvedev by 6-3,7-6(4),6(8)-7,1-6,7-6(7). What was Tien’s reaction after winning the 4-hour and 49-minute-long battle against the Russian star?

“I was definitely hoping it wasn’t going to a fifth-set breaker but either way I’m just really happy to get the win,” said Learner Tien after beating Daniil Medvedev. However, despite his heroics against Medvedev, the American went down to Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) in the fourth round. What did Tien say after his exit from the major tournament? He said, “To have the run that I did is surreal, and honestly, probably a few weeks that I’ll remember for the rest of my career.”

Now the question is: Can he make his campaign at the Delray Beach Open even more memorable with a longer run? Well, for that, he needs to overcome this Italian hurdle! Learner Tien defeated Australia’s Adam Walton in the previous round by 6-4,6-3. What’ll be the scoreline in his next match? Well, his opponent in the R16, Matteo Arnaldi started his season at the Brisbane International. He reached the R16 in that tournament, but he was defeated by his compatriot Lorenzo Musetti in the first round of the 2025 AO.

However, Arnaldi will be entering this contest following his impressive QF run at the Dallas Open. In that QF match, he was defeated by Spain’s Jaume Munar 4-6,6-3,3-6! 

Tien vs. Arnaldi: Head-to-Head

Interestingly, these two talented youngsters have never faced each other before in their careers so far. So, this will be their first meeting and hence, currently their H2H record is at 0-0. Who’ll win this duel between the left-handed American versus the right-handed Italian?

Prediction: Tien to win in three sets

Although Matteo Arnaldi showcased an impressive performance in his previous tournament, we’re still keeping Learner Tien ahead in this contest, but why? Well, we feel Learner Tien has been already tested against a bigger opponent this year and he showed us what he’s capable of. Tien must have gained quite a lot of confidence from his incredible run at the 2025 AO. However, on the other hand, Arnaldi hasn’t yet faced such a tough opponent in his previous matches. So, this is one of the things that is putting Tien slightly ahead in this battle.

Talking about their record this season, Learner Tien (82) has a win-loss record of 4-2. On the other hand, Matteo Arnaldi (38) has a win-loss record of just 2-3. So even if we look at these numbers, the American has a slight edge when it comes to their form in the 2025 season.

Now, if we shift our focus to their playing styles, Matteo Arnaldi has a very well-balanced game, combining his aggressive baseline play with effective defensive skills. He has the ability to bring out favorable results in the longer rallies and that’s exactly what proves his fitness levels and his incredible mental fortitude. Arnaldi can play powerful shots standing at the baseline and also has an excellent technique on the sliced backhand to play drop shots. His volleying skills at the net are also quite remarkable.

On the other side, Learner Tien has an aggressive style of play. His dynamic approach, combined with quick footwork enables him to respond effectively in various playing conditions. However, his biggest concern in this season has been the high number of double counts. Learner Tien has hit 25 aces this season, but has committed 37 double faults! If Tien manages to keep this thing in check, he’ll have a great chance to secure his spot in the QF of the 2025 Delray Beach Open. We feel Tien will keep things tidy in this match!