Melbourne: American qualifier Learner Tien, a 19-year-old from California, delivered a stunning upset at the Australian Open, defeating three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in a marathon five-set thriller at Margaret Court Arena.
In a match that ended at nearly 3 am on Friday, Tien outlasted the fifth-seeded Russian in a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6[10-7] epic lasting 4 hours and 49 minutes.
The world No. 121’s remarkable triumph marked him as the youngest American man to reach the third round at Melbourne Park since Pete Sampras in 1990.
“I was definitely hoping it wasn’t going to go to a fifth-set breaker,” Tien said with a smile. “I’m just really happy to get the win. I know I made it harder than it could have been, but I’ll take it.”
Tien, a former Australian Open boys’ singles finalist, showcased resilience and composure. Despite losing a match point in the third-set tiebreak and being dominated in the fourth, he rebounded impressively in the decider.
The Californian credited his turnaround to maintaining focus, even joking about needing a bathroom break during the fourth set. “I just had to pee so bad,” he quipped, drawing laughter from the crowd.
In a tense fifth set interrupted by a brief rain delay, Tien fought back after Medvedev broke serve at 6-5. Rallying to win six of the last seven points, Tien sealed victory when Medvedev’s final return sailed long.
“I wasn’t trying to think of the match as anything more than any other match I’ve played. I just wanted to have fun and see what I could do,” said Tien, celebrating his victory with a pepperoni pizza.
The teenager’s fairytale run continues as he advances to the third round, having now won five consecutive matches, including two gruelling five-setters in the main draw.
