Learner Tien still lives with his parents - but the Californian is not afraid of big names on the court. After his coup against Medvedev, the 20-year-old is through to the quarter-finals, where he will face Zverev.
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- The 20-year-old American Learner Tien surprisingly defeated Daniil Medvedev in three sets and is now through to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open 2026.
- Tien, who still lives with his parents and is coached by former professional Michael Chang, impresses on the court with his intelligence.
- The Californian already caused a stir last year, beating Alexander Zverev, among others - against whom he will now play again.
Alexander Zverev reacted somewhat surprised when he was asked about his quarter-final opponent. Last year's Australian Open finalist had actually expected a duel with his opponent of fear, Daniil Medvedev. But the Russian lost soundlessly in three sets against Learner Tien.
"He simply played too well today (...) I had the feeling that he probably played the match of his life (...) I didn't manage to keep up with his level," Medvedev noted.
The US boy is indeed not afraid of big names. The young man with Vietnamese roots already beat Medvedev last year in Melbourne. Back then, Learner sensationally reached the round of 16 as a qualifier, where he lost to Lorenzo Sonego in four sets. Shortly afterwards, he beat a certain Zverev in Acapulco ...
Star coach Michael Chang as a plus
Tien won the ATP Finals for young players at the end of last year and has since worked his way up to 29th place in the world rankings. The US-American may not have the power shots of Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alvaraz (Tien's role model), but like the two tennis dominators, he plays with a lot of changes of direction and a lot of brains. He is also left-handed, which doesn't suit all opponents.
The 20-year-old has also recently been coached by Michael Chang, who has prescribed a more aggressive game for him - and also seems to inspire him mentally. The former world No. 2 (sensationally won the French Open as a 17-year-old in 1989) also knows how to celebrate success as a player who is rather small by tennis standards. The weakness of the 1.80 meter tall Tien is his serve. His first service fluctuates between 160 and 185 kilometers per hour.
But if his first name is anything to go by, Learner will make rapid progress here too. Incidentally, he owes this to his mother, who is a teacher. Learner's sister is called Justice - his father is a lawyer.
Curious: Tien is currently "still living at home", as he explained at the press conference. "At some point this year, I will probably look for my own apartment. My parents are still very much involved in my life. I am very grateful to them for that. My family has always been an important part of my life. It's hard for me to imagine life without them. I am very happy. They still do a lot for me," emphasizes the Californian.
Whether his fairytale will continue against Zevrev will be seen on Tuesday in the second match of the day session (3:30 CET).
