Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev, on Thursday, suffered a stunning second-round exit on the 2025 Australian Open. The fifth seed was defeated 3-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(8), 6-1, 6-7(7) by American qualifier Learner Tien in an epic 4-hour, 49-minute contest had a little bit of all the things, together with — laborious to imagine — a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly earlier than 2:30 a.m. This was Medvedev’s earliest exit in a Slam since his opening-round loss on the Roland Garros in 2023. That is additionally his worst present in Melbourne because the third-round exit in 2023 by the hands of Aussie wildcard John Millman.
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev speaks to the umpire throughout his males’s singles match towards USA’s Learner Tien on day 5 of the Australian Open tennis match in Melbourne on January 16, 2025(AFP)
Tien, ranked 121 on the earth, bounced again from a break down in every of the primary two units en path to a serious upset on Margaret Court docket Area. With the win, the 19-year-old turned the second-youngest American man to achieve the third spherical on the Australian Open after 18-year-old Pete Sampras in 1990.
Tien, who is usually in comparison with Medvedev owing to his model of play, gave the Russian a style of his personal medication as he drew the 2024 runner-up into longer rallies the place he reigned supreme. Throughout the primary two units, he received 32 of the 51 factors that lasted 9 or extra strokes, even popping out on high on one which went 45 photographs and one other that lasted 32. Medvedev additionally was left unstuck by his personal serve, successful simply 19 per cent (6/32) factors behind his second supply within the first two units.
Within the third set, Medvedev as soon as once more conceded a break, however held his nerves within the tie-break, the place he saved match level on serve at 6/7. The 28-year-old, who survived 4 occasions in his profession from two units down, together with final yr’s semi-final on Rod Laver Area towards Alexander Zverev, reigned supreme within the fourth set, breaking the American thrice.
Nonetheless, simply went it appeared he was able to put the ultimate nail within the coffin within the remaining set, Tien broke early within the decider to safe a 3-1 lead, earlier than let slip a break lead. Medvedev received the break again for the second time after the match was stopped in the beginning of the eleventh sport owing to Melbourne experiencing a late-night drizzle. Once they resumed, Medvedev broke and served for the victory at 6-5, however Tien wouldn’t cede a factor, broke again, and compelled the concluding first-to-10 tiebreaker that he emerged to win shortly earlier than 3 a.m., about two hours after he didn’t convert his preliminary match level.