ATP Tour

Tien dispatches Medvedev, sets Australian Open QF clash with Zverev

Learner Tien delivered a resounding statement on Sunday at the Australian Open, where he produced a scintillating performance to dismiss three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 and become the youngest men’s singles quarter-finalist at the major since Nick Kyrgios in 2015.

The 20-year-old's victory marked the latest chapter in a rapidly developing rivalry. Twelve months ago in Melbourne, then World No. 121 Tien stunned Medvedev in a five-set second-round epic. That win proved a launchpad, with Tien later defeating the former World No. 1 again en route to his maiden tour-level final in Beijing.

This time in Melbourne, however, there was little drama. After a competitive opening set, clinched by the 20-year-old with a whipped forehand winner down the line, Tien seized complete control. He reeled off 12 of the next 15 games of the match, closing out victory in just one hour and 39 minutes with a stunning backhand pass.

"It feels amazing, it is so special to do it here," Tien said on reaching his first major tour-level quarter-final. "It is so special to come back here and play every year and it was a big goal of mine [to play well here] and I am super happy.

"Every year since I have come here the crowd support has been amazing. I don't know why, but every year it has been so special to come back and have a crowd like this, with so much energy. It means the world to me."

Medvedev arrived in Melbourne in good form, having lifted his 22nd tour-level title in Brisbane earlier this month and posting three solid wins to reach the fourth round of the hard-court major for the sixth time. But he was unable to match Tien from the baseline, as the 25th seed dictated play with superior consistency, aggression and authority. Tien finished with a 33-16 winners-to-unforced errors count, compared to Medvedev, who was 15-30 across the same metrics.

Fresh from capturing the Next Gen ATP Finals crown in Jeddah last month, Tien has continued his rapid ascent in Melbourne and is up to No. 24 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. Tien is the youngest American to reach the quarter-finals at a major since 2002 and will hope to continue his journey against Alexander Zverev.

The American will meet Zverev on Tuesday after the German overcame Francisco Cerundolo. Zverev lost his first three meetings against Cerundolo but has since won their past three encounters, with their Head2Head series level at 3-3.

The No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings showed no sign of those earlier Cerundolo struggles on John Cain Arena, where he cruised past Cerundolo 6–2, 6–4, 6–4 in two hours and 12 minutes.

Zverev has now reached the Australian Open quarter-finals for the fifth time, moving past Boris Becker for the most last-eight appearances at the tournament by a German man. However, he is still seeking to convert deep runs into major glory. Last year, the World No. 3 reached the final at Melbourne Park for the first time.