MELBOURNE, Australia — In a stunning display of talent and tenacity, 19-year-old Tien Learner from California made history by becoming the youngest American man to advance to the third round of the Australian Open since the legendary Pete Sampras in 1990. Tien pulled off a remarkable upset against a frustrated Daniil Medvedev, winning 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (10-7) in a gripping match that started late on Thursday night and concluded in the early hours of Friday.
Spanning nearly five hours, this thrilling encounter was packed with moments of drama, including an unexpected six-minute rain delay that took place around 2:30 a.m., just as Tien was serving at 5-all in the fifth set. Once play resumed, Medvedev seized the opportunity to break and serve for victory at 6-5. Nevertheless, Tien’s resilience shone through as he broke back, leading to an exhilarating first-to-10 tiebreaker that he conquered just before 3 a.m., following an earlier missed match point.
“Belief is crucial when it comes to winning,” Tien expressed during his press conference, showing up with a celebratory white box containing pepperoni pizza. “I approached this match like any other—focused on enjoying the game and giving it my all.”
When asked about his post-match meal, he quipped, “It was either going to be a celebration or emotional eating. Thankfully, it turned out to be a celebration!”
This surprising outcome raises eyebrows due to the stark contrast in experience between the two players at Margaret Court Arena. Tien entered the match ranked 121st with a 0-3 Grand Slam record, while Medvedev, the No. 5 seed, claimed victory at the 2021 U.S. Open and reached the finals at Melbourne Park three times in the last four years.
“I really hoped it wouldn’t come down to a fifth-set tiebreaker… It was a tough match, but I appreciate everyone sticking around,” he told the audience, laughing, “I genuinely have no idea what time it is.”
The match wrapped up around 8 a.m. back home in California. Tien took a moment to address his family: “I hope you all are tuning in. I love you, and thank you for your unwavering support even from afar. I wish you could be here.”
Displaying a blend of fearless play and remarkable precision, the left-handed Tien dominated many of the baseline rallies. Over the first two sets, he claimed 32 out of 51 points in rallies that extended nine strokes or more, impressively winning exchanges that lasted 45 and 32 shots respectively.
However, Tien faced a moment of pressure when he reached a match point in the third-set tiebreak, only to have Medvedev blast a 122 mph ace to save it. Medvedev ultimately secured the set, extending the match into a decider.
Throughout the match, Medvedev exhibited signs of frustration, including a point penalty in the third set. The 28-year-old Russian displayed his customary tactics, attempting to shake things up by frequently approaching the net early in the third set.
Despite some errors leading to a break in the second set, Tien quickly bounced back, holding onto his lead after Medvedev incurred a point penalty.
In 2023, Tien made waves by reaching two junior Grand Slam singles finals and briefly played college tennis at Southern California before embarking on his professional career. Just last month, he celebrated turning 19, marking him as the youngest American man to reach this stage of the Australian Open since Sampras, then only 18, reached the fourth round in 1990. Sampras went on to claim the U.S. Open that same year, ultimately securing 14 Grand Slam titles, a record that ranks among the best in history.
This stunning match highlights yet another teen success story from Melbourne.
Tien’s remarkable achievement places him among João Fonseca from Brazil and Martin Landaluce from Spain as the first trio of teenagers to qualify for the men’s bracket at a major since Wimbledon in 2017. Notably, Fonseca and Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic made headlines as the first teens to defeat top-10 players at the same Grand Slam since Djokovic and Murray at Wimbledon in 2006.
Tien commended their achievements, stating that their performances were “definitely pretty inspiring.”
