Last year’s runner-up, Daniil Medvedev, was eliminated from the Australian Open in a stunning second-round upset early Friday morning by 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien.
In his first Australian Open appearance, Tien, ranked 121st, overcame the world number five with scores of 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (8/10), 1-6, 7-6 (10/7). He now advances to face France’s Corentin Moutet in the next round.
As the match extended toward 3:00 am, Tien, a left-handed player from California, received a standing ovation at Margaret Court Arena following the most significant victory of his young career. The contest lasted four hours and 48 minutes, featuring intense back-and-forth action and briefly pausing due to a rain delay near the end.
Tien’s path to this victory included a first-round win over Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli in five sets, marking his first Grand Slam win on his fourth attempt.
For Medvedev, a former world number one and the 2021 US Open champion, this early exit adds to his recent challenges at Melbourne Park, where he has lost three of the last four finals, including last year’s to Jannik Sinner.
In his season’s opening match on Tuesday, Medvedev struggled against the 418th-ranked Kasidit Samrej, needing five sets to secure the win and displaying frustration by damaging his racquet and a net camera.
Against Tien, Medvedev started calmly but soon began making errors. Tien capitalized by taking the first set in 47 minutes and demonstrating resilience, notably winning a gruelling 32-shot rally in the eighth game.
The match featured additional excitement in the tiebreaks involving Medvedev. He served an ace and saved a match point, ultimately winning the game. He controlled the fourth set, paving the way for a critical fifth set.
Both players showed fatigue in the final set, exchanging early breaks. A brief rain delay at 5-5 added to the suspense before they moved into a tiebreak. Tien ultimately clinched the victory, underscoring his reputation as an emerging talent in tennis. Last month, he reached the NextGen final, facing Joao Fonseca, another promising young player.
