ATP Tour

Tien's 'awesome' autograph request captures Monfils' lasting impact

Learner Tien made sure he didn't let the moment slip away after what may have been his final chance to share the court with Gael Monfils on Wednesday night at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers in Montreal.

Following his three-set victory over the 39-year-old Monfils, the 20-year-old Tien approached the Frenchman with an unusual request: he asked him to sign a tennis ball. Tien was born just four months after Monfils won his first ATP Tour title in Sopot in 2005, making their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting a full-circle moment between two generations.

Monfils — who is set to retire at the end of the 2026 season — and Tien thrilled the Montreal crowd during their captivating two-hour, two-minute battle at the ATP Masters 1000 event. After the match, as Monfils lingered courtside to sign autographs and spend time with fans, Tien joined the queue for one signature of his own.

"First time asking for an autograph," Tien wrote on his Instagram Stories alongside a photo of the signed ball.

The No. 19 player in the PIF ATP Rankings may have been joking. After all, Tien has spoken before about growing up as an avid tennis fan and receiving a signed ball from Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells when he was a child.

After the night-session clash with Monfils, Tien was sure to acquire a keepsake from one of the sport’s greatest entertainers, a player he grew up watching before eventually facing him on one of tennis biggest stages.

Once Monfils had signed the ball, the two shared a warm embrace, prompting one fan watching nearby to smile and say, "That is awesome!"

Tien, the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion, will next face fellow American Tommy Paul for a place in the fourth round in Montreal.