Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published Sunday, January 25, 2026, 12:28 / Updated Sunday, January 25, 2026 12:38
Daniil Medvedev (29 years old, 12 ATP), a finalist at the Australian Open in 2021, 2022 and 2024, was defeated in the round of 16 in Melbourne by American Learner Tien (20 years old, 29 ATP) 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.
The year 2026 started the same as the previous one for Daniil Medvedev, with a loss at the Australian Open to Learner Tien.
un player who is sure to give him plenty of trouble as the Russian, beaten in the second round last year in Melbourne, is now on four defeats from as many matches against the American in just one year of rivalry.
Last year, their clash went to five sets, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (8), 1-6, 7-6 (7), but this year Tien crushed the Russian, defeating him 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.
Learner Tien in action PHOTO Guliver/GettyImages
“He played too well for me today. Could I have played better? I mean, you can always play better if you lose by a score like that, but I felt he probably played the match of his life or not. It doesn't matter. He played well. I couldn't match him and that's why I lost, and now I can't change anything,” said the Russian.
Learner Tien, eleven games in a row
Medvedev had great difficulty getting into the match, while Learner showed his aggressive intentions early on, being aggressive and suffocating his opponent. He won the first set 6-4, without Medvedev having a single break point.
After the first set, Tien won 10 straight games, leading 6-4, 6-0, 4-0. Completely outmatched after taking the seventh 6-0 of his career, the first in a Grand Slam tournament, Medvedev attempted a comeback at the end of the third set, but it was stopped by Tien.
“I didn't find many solutions today on the field, which is rare, and I haven't felt like this many times in my life. But then again, these things can happen. He had an incredible match where everything worked out for him. It's happened to me a few times too, and you really feel sorry for your opponent because, well, I can try a tweener now and probably, with my eyes closed, succeed. It happens”the Russian explained.
Quarter-finals at the top of the men's table
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Carlos Alcaraz (Spain, 1) – Alex de Minaur (Australia, 6)
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Alexander Zverev (Germany, 3) – Learner Tien (USA, 25)
Qualified in the quarterfinals, Tien will face Alexander Zverev. At 20, he thus becomes the youngest American since Andy Roddick, in 2002, to play a quarterfinal in a Grand Slam tournament.
