In the latest match of the second round of the Australian Open taking place on January 16, Learner Tien caused a surprise when he defeated Daniil Medvedev with a score of 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(10-7).
The match lasted 5 hours and 49 minutes, sending Tien into the third round. This was the biggest victory of the 19-year-old's career. He missed a match point in the third set, but won four important points in the tie-break to defeat Medvedev.
The result surprised many because of the huge gap in experience and achievements between the two players. Tien is ranked 121st in the world and has struggled to qualify for major tournaments, while Medvedev is seeded No. 5 at the tournament with three Grand Slam titles. He won the 2021 US Open and was runner-up at the 2024 Australian Open.
Tien became the second youngest American player to reach the third round at the Australian Open after Pete Sampras (18 years old) in 1990. Tien will face French player Corentin Moutet in the third round.
Sharing his feelings after the match, the young American tennis player said: "Confidence is important to success and victory. I always go into the field with the belief that I have a chance to win. I don't try to think that this match is more important than any other match I've ever played. I just want to go out there, with a relaxed spirit, to see what I can do."
Tien has Vietnamese parents, born and raised in the US. He learned tennis from a young age, and turned 19 last month. Tien is 1m80 tall, left-handed, has a balanced body, and plays quickly.
