Tien becomes third teenager to beat a Top 10 opponent at Aussie Open

By defeating world No. 5 Daniil Medvedev, Learner Tien of the United States has become the third teenager to dispatch a Top 10 opponent at this year’s Australian Open.

Qualifier Tien defeated 2021 US Open champion Medvedev 6-3 7-6(4) 6-7(8) 1-6 7-6(7) following a titanic tussle which sees the 19-year-old reach the third round at a Grand Slam for the first time.

The left-hander is the second-youngest American man in the Open Era to reach the Australian Open third round after Pete Sampras, who reached the third round in Melbourne aged 18 years and 169 days in 1990.

Tien is also the youngest American man to reach the third round at a Grand Slam since the 2007 US Open when Donald Young did so aged 18 years and 48 days.

With his first victory against a Top 10 player, Tien has followed the lead of fellow teenagers Joao Fonseca and Jakub Mensik in overcoming Top 10 opponents at the Happy Slam – and in turn showcasing the rising talent within the men’s game. Fonseca dispatched world No. 9 Andrey Rublev in the first round, while Mensik accounted for Casper Ruud in the second. 

Tien is a player who has progressed along the ITF player pathway. He is a former junior world No. 4, while he has enjoyed success in Melbourne previously having been crowned an Australian Open boys' doubles champion alongside Cooper Williams in 2023. 

Now ranked No. 121 in the world, Tien was included in the ITF’s Class of 2024, which celebrated players who had successful years on the ITF World Tennis Tour and were predicted to go on to bigger things this year.

He enjoyed a rip-roaring season in 2024, winning seven titles – four on the ITF World Tennis Tour and three at Challenger level – and has certainly lived up to billing so far this year. What a way to start the season!