Australian Open 2025 results: Teenage learner Tien beats Daniil Medvedev in five-set thriller
Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev has crashed out of the Australian Open after a thrilling five-set loss to Kishore Lerner Tien in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
Medvedev, a three-time finalist in Melbourne, saved match point in the third set to force a deciding set, but ultimately lost 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (8-10) 1-6 7. . Lost to the 19-year-old qualifier -6 (10-7).
The American TN, ranked 121st in the world, celebrated in front of a largely empty Margaret Court Arena after securing the win at 02:54 local time in Melbourne.
“I was definitely hoping it wouldn’t go to a fifth-set breaker, but either way I’m really happy to get the win,” Tien said after four hours and 49 minutes on court.
“I know I made it harder than it could have been but, you know, whatever.”
Tien had never won a Grand Slam match before this week’s tournament, having lost in the first round in all three of his US Open matches.
Medvedev, who lost to Jannik Sinner in last year’s final, looked to be the clear favorite to win the match after taking the fourth set in 27 minutes, while Tien looked tired.
But, after a brief rain delay, the left-handed Californian dug deep to storm back into the deciding game and force a 10-point tie-break.
“It was tough to lose the third (set) after playing for a long time. I had a match point so it was a little disappointing to see the fourth (set),” Tien said.
“In the fourth set I had to pee really bad, so I was trying to get it over with pretty quickly.
“I also wanted to start the fifth (set) by serving first so I ended that game at 0-5 and everything went well.”
He is the third teenager after Joao Fonseca and Jakub Mencic to defeat a top-10 player this week.
Fonseca grabbed the headlines with a first-round win over ninth-seeded Andre Rublev, but Tien, who was runner-up to Brazil at December’s Next Gen ATP Finals, has been swept by both in Melbourne.
Tien will face 69th-ranked Corentin Moutet of France in the third round.
