Learner Tien, the American tennis prodigy, was hospitalised shortly after his second-round defeat to Hungary's Marton Fucsovics at Wimbledon on Wednesday. The 20-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year, lost 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 in a match where he was clearly not at his physical best.
Medical Timeout and Stomach Problem
Tien was forced to take a medical timeout during the contest, with reports indicating he was battling a stomach problem. The issue led to an unusual sight during the first changeover of the fourth set, where Tien was seen eating a plain piece of bread on court at SW19.
Following the match, Tien shared a photo on social media showing himself lying in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV drip. However, the image also revealed a sizeable spread of McDonald's takeaway food on the table beside him, including two boxes of 20 Chicken McNuggets, suggesting his condition may not have been serious.
Disappointing End to Grass Court Season
This marks a disappointing conclusion to the grass court season for Tien, who failed to surpass his second-round showing from last year's Wimbledon. Provided he receives medical clearance, he will now focus on the upcoming North American hard-court swing.
Tien has extra motivation for the US Open, as he has never progressed beyond the first round at his home Grand Slam. The tennis prodigy is eager to make his mark at Flushing Meadows this year, especially after legendary American tennis great John McEnroe tipped him to one day reach a Slam final ahead of the recent French Open.
Tien's Response to McEnroe's Praise
Reacting to McEnroe's praise, Tien said: "I would never go out and say I have the best shot of anybody, because the US has a great crop of young guys who are really making big strides, especially on the clay. The results are obviously going in the right direction for Americans on clay. Personally, I think that I do have a game that can suit the clay. Obviously it's not something that I grew up playing on, but with more time, and I just think more experience on the clay, I do think that I can have success on this surface. But I think for a lot of Americans that is the case. A lot of us just haven't really been exposed to the surface and just the more we get on, the more matches we play, just helps a lot."
