2024 French Open runner-up Alex Zverev is in curious form. The German has won a clay-court title this year, triumphing on home turf in Munich.
2025 ATP Tour
Grand Slam Tennis
French Open
Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Round of 128 Matches- 27th May
Alex Zverev (3) vs Learner Tien
However, he underwhelmed in the elite clay-court events, failing to go beyond the quarterfinal stage in all three Masters 1000 clay-court events. He really failed to capitalize on World No.1 Jannik Sinner’s three-month doping suspension. That being said, Zverev has proven to be a fierce Roland Garros competitor in recent seasons, reaching the semifinal stage or better in each of the last four seasons. American Learner Tien has cooled considerably since his remarkable start to the year. The left showed brilliant composure in the opening stages of the season, reaching the 4th round of the Aussie Open and the quarterfinals in Acapulco (more on that later). But he has gone 1-7 in his last eight tour-level matches and this looks like it will be a step too far for the strategic operator.
The Verdict: Zverev to win in straight sets at 0.41- Tien leads the head-to-head 1-0, upsetting the German at this year’s Mexican Open. However, I can’t see Tien mounting much of a challenge here. Zverev has been one of the most consistent players on these surfaces in recent years and his entire season is built around these Grand Slam fortnights. I expect him to blow away the American with minimum fuss.
