In an incredible upset, young American Learner Tien announced himself on the big stage of the Australian Open by triumphing over formidable fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling five-set encounter that lasted nearly from five o’clock.
Ranked 121st in the world, Tien showed remarkable resilience, securing his first second-round victory at a Grand Slam tournament with a thrilling tiebreak in the final set, ultimately winning 6-3, 7 -6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(10-7).
So who is Learner Tien really? This promising talent from Irvine, California recently celebrated his 19th birthday in December. Born to Vietnamese immigrant parents, his unique first name evokes his mother’s profession, a professor, while his older sister’s name, Justice, is inspired by the career of his father, a lawyer.
Before his memorable clash with Medvedev, Tien had overcome three qualifying rounds, emerging victorious against Grégoire Barrère, Juan Pablo Ficovich and Jozef Kovalik to secure his place in the main draw. His first match in the main draw saw him beat 94th ATP ranked Camilo Ugo Carabelli in another intense five-set battle, finishing 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-3, 5- 7, 6-4.
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The victory over Medvedev made Tien the youngest American to advance to the third round of the Australian Open since tennis legend Pete Sampras, who was just 18 when he reached the fourth round in 1990.
-Tien is no stranger to success, having won the USTA Boys 18s National Championships in 2022 and 2023, earning him wild cards into the US Open at 16 and 17. Despite early first-round exits, including a match against compatriot Frances Tiafoe in 2023, Tien proved his worth after turning professional in November 2023, following a semester at the University of Southern California.
Note that Tien is one of three teenagers who triumphed over Top 10 players at the Australian Open this year, joining Brazilian João Fonseca, who defeated No. 9 Andrey Rublev, and Czech Jakub Mensik, who beat No. 6 Casper Ruud. Although Fonseca has since been knocked out by Lorenzo Sonego and Mensik fell to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Tien’s journey continues.
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Moving forward, Tien will face Corentin Moutet in a third round match on Saturday, as he looks to capitalize on this remarkable performance and strengthen his position on the world tennis stage.
