Learner Tien is making his Australian Open debut this yr and he hasn’t taken too lengthy to make the world sit up and take discover. The 19-year-old is taking part in a Grand Slam for simply the second time in his profession and he defeated final yr’s runner up and 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in a second spherical match that began on Thursday night time and completed within the wee hours of Friday morning.
Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 16, 2025 Learner Tien of the U.S. after profitable his second spherical match in opposition to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Jaimi Pleasure(REUTERS)
Medvedev reduce a annoyed a harrowed and annoyed determine on the finish of the marathon as he misplaced to his teenaged oponent 3-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(8), 6-1, 6-7(7). He chucked his tools towards the sideline, skidding it throughout the courtroom till it reached an promoting panel close to his bench. At different moments of anger, Medvedev hit a ball in opposition to the again wall, toppled a digital camera behind a baseline and punched his racket bag.
So who is that this boy who pushed the Russian fifth seed to this extent?
Tien was born on December 2005 in Irvine, California to Vietnamese mother and father. His and sister Justice’s names are a means for his or her mother and father to honour their professions – Learner’s mom Huyen Tien is a trainer and his father Khuong Dan Tien is actual property lawyer. “An attorney seeks justice. A teacher seeks a learner. They were virtuous names,” Khuong is quoted as saying in an LA Occasions article.
Tien’s tennis journey began virtually as quickly as he learnt to stroll. His mother and father would typically play the game recreationally and so Tien laid his arms on a racket when he was simply over a yr outdated. He quickly confirmed nice promise, taking part in a event for the primary time on the age of 5 and, in line with the LA Occasions, received his first championship on the age of six. His father mentioned that the trophy had a jack-o’-lantern on it as a result of it was Halloween.
Tien continued to indicate nice promise all through his rising up years, finally representing the USA within the prestigious 14-and-under Les Petits As event in France, on the junior world championships and on the junior Davis Cup. Nonetheless, he then briefly walked away from tennis.
“I was kind of unsure about my future playing tennis. I wasn’t sure how much I really enjoyed it anymore, just because I’d always played it and I’d played it for so long,” Learner later mentioned. “I guess my sense of enjoyment in playing it was fading a little bit.”
His mother and father did not drive him to select up the racket once more however he did so finally with renewed vigour and has by no means seemed again since.
Turning Professional
Tien reached two junior Grand Slams in 2023 – on the Australian Open and the US Open, and was ranked No.4 in singles on the finish of the yr. He had made his skilled debut the earlier yr although. At simply 16 years outdated, Tien received the 2022 USTA Boys 18s Nationwide Championship, which earned him a wildcard into the primary draw of the 2022 US Open. This made him the youngest participant in almost 20 years to compete within the males’s singles primary draw on the US Open. He additionally acquired a wildcard to play within the 2023 US Open. In each cases, he was knocked out within the first spherical.