He lost 6-3 7-6 (7/4) 6-7 (8/10) 1-6 7-6 (10/7) at 2:54 a.m. to Learner Tien (ATP 121), from the qualifications , this 19-year-old Californian left-hander took away six of the last seven points in this 4h49′ long thriller to sign, of course, the greatest feat of his young career. Version 2.0 by Michael Chang, Learner Tien demonstrated astonishing nervous mastery. He was able, in fact, to come back from nowhere in the fifth set after having benefited from a match point in the deciding game of the third and having lost 6-1 in the fourth.
Coming late to Melbourne due to the birth of his second child, Daniil Medvedev (no. 5) had already demonstrated certain limits during his first round. He had, in fact, to go to the limit of five sets against the Thai Kasidit Samrej, 418th in the world. Against Tien, he evolved very far from his standards even if he served for the match at 6-5 in a fifth set full of twists and turns.
The question now is whether Learner Tien, who also won his first round in five sets, will have recovered from his efforts for his third round on Saturday against Corentin Moutet (ATP 69). The Frenchman will have the advantage of freshness and will be able to count on a tricolor kop sometimes too fanatical which gives Melbourne Park a little air of the Vélodrome stadium in Marseille.
Swiss
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