USA's Learner Tien celebrates victory over Russia's Daniil Medvedev after their men's singles match on day eight of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2026. (Photo by David Gray / AFP)
Melbourne: Learner Tien said he was playing some of his best tennis ever after battling through a nosebleed to crush three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and make a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time on Sunday.
The 20-year-old American, who capped a breakout 2025 by winning the ATP Next Gen title, thrashed the Russian 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in just 1hr 42 mins at the Australian Open.
It put 25th seed Tien, who still lives at home with his parents, into a last-eight clash with third-seeded German Alexander Zverev.
"A lot of confidence, for sure," he said.
"I feel like I have been playing a little bit better match by match, and each match I'm making a little jump in how well I'm playing, how comfortable I feel.
"Right now I'm feeling better than I have all week, all year, so I'm really looking forward to it."
He is the youngest men's singles quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios in 2015 and the youngest American man to reach the last eight at a Slam since Andy Roddick in 2002 at the US Open.
"It feels amazing. I mean, so special to do it, especially here," Tien, who won his first career title in Metz in November, said of making his maiden quarter-final.
"Every year since I've been coming here, the crowd support has been amazing. I don't know why, honestly, a crowd like this with this much energy and support, it means the world to me to do it here."
Defeat was a sorry end for former world number one Medvedev, who was also knocked out last year by then-teenage qualifier Tien, in a five-set marathon.
This time the 11th seed Medvedev, who reached three of the last five finals in Melbourne, was a shadow of his former self.
"He played too good for me today," said Medvedev. "Could I do better? I mean, you can always do better if you lose with the scoreline I did.
"I didn't manage to rival his level, and that's why basically I lost."
Tien broke immediately to signal his intent, but his momentum was interrupted when he needed treatment for a nosebleed. He later said it was just dry.
They resumed after a seven-minute break, with Tien taking the set.
After that it was all the American, who reeled off 10 straight games as Medvedev imploded, cutting a dejected figure.
He suddenly woke up and against the run of play won three games to give himself a glimmer of hope, before Tien seized back control and sprinted to the finish.
Medvedev was outplayed by Novak Djokovic in the 2021 final before a heart-wrenching defeat to Rafael Nadal a year later.
He lost to Jannik Sinner in 2024, crashing in five sets after being two up.
