Three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev, on Thursday, suffered a shocking second-round exit at 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 bit of everything, including — hard to believe — a six-minute rain delay that interrupted play shortly before 2:30 a.m. This was Medvedev's earliest exit in a Slam since his opening-round loss at the Roland Garros in 2023. This is also his worst show in Melbourne since the third-round exit in 2023 at the hands of Aussie wildcard John Millman.
Tien, ranked 121 in the world, bounced back from a break down in each of the first two sets en route to a major upset on Margaret Court Arena. With the win, the 19-year-old became the second-youngest American man to reach the third round at the Australian Open after 18-year-old Pete Sampras in 1990.
Tien, who is often compared to Medvedev owing to his style of play, gave the Russian a taste of his own medicine as he drew the 2024 runner-up into longer rallies where he reigned supreme. Across the first two sets, he won 32 of the 51 points that lasted nine or more strokes, even coming out on top on one that went 45 shots and another that lasted 32. Medvedev also was left unstuck by his own serve, winning just 19 per cent (6/32) points behind his second delivery in the first two sets.
In the third set, Medvedev once again conceded a break, but held his nerves in the tie-break, where he saved match point on serve at 6/7. The 28-year-old, who survived four times in his career from two sets down, including last year’s semi-final on Rod Laver Arena against Alexander Zverev, reigned supreme in the fourth set, breaking the American thrice.
{{/usCountry}}In the third set, Medvedev once again conceded a break, but held his nerves in the tie-break, where he saved match point on serve at 6/7. The 28-year-old, who survived four times in his career from two sets down, including last year’s semi-final on Rod Laver Arena against Alexander Zverev, reigned supreme in the fourth set, breaking the American thrice.
{{/usCountry}}However, just went it seemed he was ready to put the final nail in the coffin in the final set, Tien broke early in the decider to secure a 3-1 lead, before let slip a break lead. Medvedev got the break back for the second time after the match was stopped at the start of the 11th game owing to Melbourne experiencing a late-night drizzle. When they resumed, Medvedev broke and served for the victory at 6-5, but Tien wouldn’t cede a thing, broke back, and forced the concluding first-to-10 tiebreaker that he emerged to win shortly before 3 a.m., about two hours after he failed to convert his initial match point.