136: Learner Tien on Sinner, Chang & Next Gen + 2026 Predictions | EP 136
Nothing Major
Sift Creative
4.8 • 607 Ratings
🗓️ 9 January 2026
⏱️ 60 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode of Nothing Major, the guys kick things off with their 2026 predictions, covering topics like which player will win their first tour-level title, Masters 1000 winners, breakthrough players, and more! After sharing their insights, they dive into an incredible interview with the next-gen tennis star, Learner Tien. Learner talks about his relationship with coach Michael Chang, facing Sinner in a final, and the story behind flying economy class after a title win.
00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview
01:27 2026 Predictions: First Tour Level Title
04:06 2026 Predictions: First Masters 1000
06:19 2026 Predictions: Breakthrough Players
09:17 2026 Predictions: Top 10 Debuts
11:15 2026 Predictions: Biggest Falloffs
13:27 2026 Predictions: Rivalling the New Two
16:08 2026 Predictions: Grand Slam Winners
22:19 Interview with Learner Tian
24:49 Reflecting on Career Decisions
25:07 Next Gen Title
26:31 Handling Pressure and Expectations
30:16 Financial Management and Family Support
31:18 Hitting Stride and Confidence Boosts
37:12 Coaching Partnership with Michael Chang
44:39 Winning First ATP Title
50:43 Tour Experiences
57:18 Goals and Reflections for 2026
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | All right. In today's episode of Nothing Major, we have our 2026 predictions during the year, which is going to be really fun. |
| 0:06.3 | And we also have an incredible interview, one that a lot of people have been asking for, the next gen champion, the Mets champion, the youngster. |
| 0:14.4 | I think he just turned 20. Learner Tien. Stevie and I have known him for over a decade. This guy is a stud. He's lefty. He's crafty. Him and Juala Fonseca battled for that kind of top spot amongst the youngsters all year in 2025. Fonseca got him just by a little bit. But Lerr Tien is on his heel and heels and he's going to have a big year. And we've got a really fun interview with him later in the show. So let's get into it. |
| 0:38.1 | That was epic. |
| 0:38.7 | It's good. |
| 0:44.7 | All right. |
| 0:45.3 | We're back. |
| 0:52.6 | I got John, Jack, Stevie, myself, Charlie, the team at Sift, anything I can pronounce perfectly. |
| 0:53.9 | That's what I like about this pod. I like I can I |
| 0:55.4 | say my co-host names and not mess it up. So shout out to you guys. All right. Like I said in that |
| 1:03.0 | pre-intro today, we've got a learner TN interview coming up later today, which is really cool. |
| 1:08.1 | Stevie and I especially have known learners since he was like 10 years old. |
| 1:29.9 | He's got a little more personality than one might think. It was a fun one. So look forward to that. Why is that funny? You're right. No, because he comes off as like a quiet guy, but like he's funny. Like you get him on a practice court. He's got great personality. It was just going to come into his own. Look forward to that. But part of that we're going to do our 2026 predictions. |
| 1:27.8 | We did this last year in 2025. great personality. It was just going to come into his own. Look forward to that. But part of that, |
| 1:33.8 | we're going to do our 2026 predictions. We did this last year in 2025. So this is 2026 predictions. |
| 1:37.8 | These are going to be things like first tour level title, first master's series, |
| 1:41.5 | Blake breakthrough player of the year, top 10 debut, slam winners, things like that. |
| 1:44.9 | We've got our answers in front of us. |
| 1:48.6 | Some of these categories, we've got a male and a female for both. |
| 1:49.6 | Some we just have a male. |
| 1:54.4 | Again, we were all on the tour with the men, so we know the men a little more. |
| 1:59.6 | But we've thrown some women into this prediction show a little bit as well. |
... |
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