Learner Tien sends Stefanos Tsitsipas tumbling out of Geneva

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ Roland Garros preparation took another hit on Wednesday when the 2021 finalist bowed out of the Gonet Geneva Open to Learner Tien, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2).

The former world No. 3 showed encouraging form in his first round to defeat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in straight sets but struggled in key moments against the young American, sending Tsitsipas to Paris with a 4-5 clay-court record this season.

Tsitsipas will be unseeded at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2018 Roland Garros, when he was just 19 years old.

Now 27, the Greek veteran has struggled with injuries and inconsistency in 2026, falling outside the Top 80 in the ATP rankings as of last week.

Tsitsipas spoke about the journey back in a post-match press conference at the Mutua Madrid Open last month:

“When I was injured I lost passion and love for the game,” he admitted after defeating Daniel Merida to reach the fourth round—his best result of the clay swing.

“I kept showing up though. Despite my injury in the back, I kept showing up on court and trying to make the most out of it. It's frustrating when you're always injured and you're always feeling hurt. It doesn't make you love the game too much.

“I can finally kind of say that, going back into the court now, it feels a really joyful thing to do. Like, there isn't much of stress whether I'm going to be fit enough because of my back.”

Roland Garros has been the major tournament where Tsitsipas has posted his most consistent results, reaching the semifinals in 2020 in addition to back-to-back quarterfinals in 2023 and 2024. His most recent campaign on the terre battue ended in the second round against Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante.

Being unseeded, Tsitsipas could conceivably draw top seeds Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, or Novak Djokovic—in what would be a rematch of their 2021 final—in the first round.

For Tien, who turned 20 in December, Wednesday’s win puts him into his second quarterfinal of the clay-court season, having reached the last eight in Houston back in April. At his career-high ranking od No. 20 in the ATP rankings, Tien will be seeded in Paris.