Learner Tien, a 19-year-old American qualifier, pulled off an astonishing win against Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open, sending the three-time finalist packing. The marathon match lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes, with Tien emerging victorious 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(10-7).
Tien, who had only won his first Grand Slam match two days earlier, showed remarkable mental and physical reserves to outlast Medvedev. A healthy crowd of over 1,000 spectators stayed on, transfixed by the drama as Tien ended up victorious.
In a bizarre incident, Tien revealed that he was struggling with a pressing need for a bathroom break during the third-set tiebreak. He appeared deflated after losing the set in a tiebreaker and was outplayed comprehensively in the fourth. However, he managed to pull it together, breaking back from 6-4 down in the match breaker.
Tien’s incredible comeback earned him praise from the crowd and his coach. The young southpaw credited his experience as an Australian Open boys’ singles finalist in 2023 with helping him stay focused under pressure. After a six-minute rain stoppage at 2:30am, Tien took advantage of Medvedev’s conservativism to break back and seal victory.
“I wasn’t trying to think of the match as anything more important than any other match I’ve ever played,” Tien explained. “I was just going to go out there, have fun, see what I could do.”
Source: https://ausopen.com/articles/news/late-night-learner-american-teen-tien-stuns-medvedev-ao-epic