Daniil Medvedev’s Australian Open journey concluded unexpectedly on Sunday when he, ranked 11th globally, was defeated in straight sets by 25th seed Learner Tien in the fourth round. The match saw Medvedev struggle to find his form, losing 4-6, 0-6, 3-6 in a one-sided affair lasting just over an hour. This early exit marked a departure from Medvedev’s usual performance at the season’s initial Grand Slam events.
After a competitive first set, Medvedev faced a disastrous second set where he failed to secure a single game, allowing Tien to claim 11 consecutive games. Despite a brief resurgence in the third set, Medvedev couldn’t disrupt Tien’s momentum, leading to a decisive victory for the American. Medvedev’s challenge was further compounded by Tien’s aggressive gameplay and consistent returns, resulting in a match where Medvedev’s serving performance fell short, winning only 58% of first-serve points and a mere 33% on his second serves.
Following this defeat, Medvedev exits the tournament earlier than anticipated, contrasting with Tien’s impressive advancement to the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Tien’s next challenge will be against world No.3 Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Australian favorite Alex de Minaur secured a dominant victory over Alexander Bublik, earning a spot in the Australian Open quarterfinals for the second consecutive year. De Minaur capitalized on Bublik’s struggles on first serve, clinching a convincing 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 win. The world No.6 now gears up to face world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz, who triumphed over Tommy Paul earlier on Sunday.
