In a match that will be etched in Australian Open folklore, 19-year-old American sensation Learner Tien pulled off an astonishing upset against three-time Melbourne finalist Daniil Medvedev, claiming a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7) victory in a late-night marathon. The Margaret Court Arena crowd, captivated by the nearly five-hour epic that concluded just before 3 a.m., witnessed a fearless display from the world No. 121 as he became the youngest American man to reach the Australian Open third round since Pete Sampras in 1990.
Teenage Grit Meets Experience
Tien, born to Vietnamese parents in California and named after his teacher mother’s profession, showed composure and tactical brilliance well beyond his years. Facing the wily and resilient Medvedev, Tien’s ability to adapt and execute left the crowd—and likely his opponent—stunned.
“I mean, I was definitely hoping it wasn’t going to go to a fifth set breaker,” Tien quipped to the crowd post-match. “But either way, I’m just really happy to get the win. I know I made it a lot harder than it could have been. But, you know, whatever.”
A Tale of Ups and Downs
Tien’s journey to victory was anything but smooth. After seizing the first set from 3-1 down by rattling off five consecutive games, he showed remarkable poise in the second, where a topsy-turvy battle of service breaks ended with Tien snatching the tiebreak with an ice-cold forehand winner.
However, Medvedev, a former U.S. Open champion and known for his mental and physical endurance, clawed his way back. Saving a match point with a booming ace in the third-set tiebreak, Medvedev took the momentum, breezing through the fourth set as Tien visibly struggled.
Yet, the Californian’s resolve was unshakable. Despite being pushed to the brink in the decider, Tien clung on through grueling rallies, even after a rain delay and Medvedev serving for the match at 6-5. The young left-hander broke back and pushed the battle into a 10-point tiebreaker, where he roared back from 4-6 down to clinch victory as Medvedev sent a weary return long.
Unconventional Resilience
When asked about his apparent surrender of the fourth set, Tien’s candid response brought laughter: “Honestly, in the fourth set, I just had to pee so bad. I was just trying to finish it up fairly quick, but I also wanted to start serving in the fifth, so I scrapped out that game at 0-5, and it all worked out well.”
A Star Is Born
Tien’s triumph made him the youngest American to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since Donald Young at the 2007 U.S. Open. His unshakable confidence and dazzling performance on one of tennis’s biggest stages signal the arrival of a new force in the sport. As he prepares to face Frenchman Corentin Moutet next, Tien has already captured the hearts of fans and set the tennis world abuzz.