Teen sensation Tien stuns Medvedev in Australian Open thriller

Last year’s runner-up Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock second-round exit at the Australian Open, falling to 19-year-old American qualifier Learner Tien in a marathon five-set clash that ended near 3:00 am Friday.

Tien, ranked 121 in the world, triumphed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (8/10), 1-6, 7-6 (10/7) after an epic four hours and 48 minutes on Margaret Court Arena. It was the biggest win of the Californian left-hander’s young career, propelling him to a third-round meeting with France’s Corentin Moutet.

“Honestly, it hasn’t really set in yet,” Tien admitted. “I’m just happy to be off the court. I’ve never played a match this long or spent this much time on a tennis court straight.”

Tien displayed incredible composure against the world number five, clinching the opening set and prevailing in a second-set tiebreak despite Medvedev’s mounting frustration. Medvedev saved match points to win the third set in a tiebreak and dominated the fourth set to force a decider.

However, Tien dug deep in the final set, recovering from exhaustion and holding his nerve in the 10-point tiebreak to seal victory on his second match point.

Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion and former world number one, struggled with consistency throughout the tournament, including a grueling five-set win in the first round. His early exit marks a painful setback after finishing as runner-up in three of the past four Australian Opens.

For Tien, a known talent in tennis circles, the win signals his arrival on the biggest stage. “These are my first two five-setters,” he said. “It’s nice to feel that I can play these physical matches and get through them.”

(Source: AFP)