Tien savors victory over Mensik: "I'm really happy to have come through it".

The first big fight of the Next Gen ATP Finals 2024 pitted Learner Tien against Jakub Mensik.

The two men put on a great show in a match that ended in the tie-break of the fifth set.

After saving a match point, the American finally had the last word at the end of the suspense (4-3, 4-3, 2-4, 2-4, 4-3) and more than 2 hours of play.

For the ATP website, Tien reacted to his hard-fought victory: "It was tough, especially against an opponent who serves so well.

It puts pressure on your service game. When you get the chance to break, you have to take it, because you don't know how many chances you're going to get again.

I'm feeling good physically. I was two sets ahead, and I think he played really well in the third and fourth.

I fought again in the last set, and I'm really happy to have come through."

For his second match in the tournament, Tien will face Fonseca, who defeated Fils late in the evening in Jeddah on Wednesday. The winner of this match will have a good chance of reaching the semi-finals.