Learner Tien taken to hospital after Wimbledon second-round defeat
American tennis player Learner Tien has been admitted to hospital with a suspected stomach problem hours after his second-round Wimbledon defeat to Marton Fucsovics.
The 20-year-old was beaten in four sets by his Hungarian opponent following a gruelling encounter at SW19.
He appeared to struggle physically during the match and required a medical timeout to manage an undisclosed illness.
Spectators noted the unusual sight of the rising star eating plain bread during a fourth-set changeover to settle his stomach.
Social media update sparks mild concern
Fears over his condition grew when he later posted an image from a hospital bed connected to an intravenous drip.
However, those concerns were slightly eased by the presence of a large fast-food meal positioned next to his bedside.
The takeaway spread included two large boxes of chicken nuggets, suggesting the medical issue may not be overly severe.
Focus shifts to upcoming hard-court season
This early exit concludes a frustrating grass-court campaign for the Australian Open quarter-finalist.
He matched his Wimbledon performance from last year but failed to take the next step towards a maiden Grand Slam title.
Assuming a full recovery, the prodigious talent will now direct his attention towards the North American hard-court swing.
He holds a strong desire to improve his record at the US Open, where he has never advanced past the opening round.
Handling the weight of expectations
Expectations remain extraordinarily high for the young athlete, with tennis legend John McEnroe recently tipping him as a future major finalist.
Despite the significant praise, the former junior standout remains grounded about his developmental trajectory.
“I would never go out and say I have the best shot of anybody, because the US has a great crop of young guys who are really making big strides.”
He added that gaining experience on different surfaces remains the key to unlocking consistent success on the senior tour.
“A lot of us just haven’t really been exposed to the surface and just the more we get on, the more matches we play, just helps a lot.”