After crushing Alexander Zverev's hope to follow Daniil Medvedev upset, USA's Learner Tien reveals what truly goes on in his mind

A month after Daniil Medvedev's shocking Australian Open exit, Alexander Zverev lived an even more chastening experience in Acapulco. Incredibly, the two upsets had one thing in common; 19-year-old California native Learner Tien. After claiming his latest top 10 scalp at the Mexican Open, the teenager opened up about his thoughts and feelings ahead of facing opponents from men's tennis' contemporary elite.

On Wednesday, February 26, Tien locked horns with ATP No. 2 and three-time Major finalist Alexander Zverev in Acapulco and registered a surprisingly comprehensive 6-3, 6-4 win over the top-seeded German at the ATP 500 event.

In his post-match, on-court interview, Learner Tien couldn't exactly explain how he engineered his remarkable win against a player with much more experience and pedigree at the top level of the sport. Alexander Zverev has so far won 23 ATP Tour-level singles titles, which include seven Masters 1000 and two Nitto ATP Finals titles. The German is also a three-time runner-up at Grand Slams.

"I honestly couldn’t tell you how I did it. I went out there and tried to control my side of the court. I knew it would be tough. To come through feels great. I’m really looking forward to playing my next one," Tien said.

The California native also confessed that when it comes to nerves, more often than not, he keeps them under wraps.

"The nerves are definitely there. I try to hide it as much as I can. Sometimes it’s easier than others. Focusing on what I can control and keeping my cool as best as I can has really taken me a long way," he added.

Learner Tien's win over Daniil Medvedev in Melbourne required the young American to show much more grit and resolve than he needed to produce against Alexander Zverev.

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A month before conquering Alexander Zverev in style, Learner Tien won thrilling Australian Open marathon against Daniil Medvedev

Learner Tien celebrates a point during his match against Daniil Medvedev at the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Learner Tien came up against three-time Australian Open runner-up Daniil Medvedev in the second round of this year's edition of the hardcourt Major Down Under. Former No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion Medvedev, the overwhelming favorite on paper, was not at his best, and Tien pounced to win the first two sets. The American even had a match point in the third.

The Russian though, still had the wits about him to battle back, and as a result, the match went into a decisive fifth set. Tien remarkably held his own against Medvedev, who is widely regarded as one of the best players to grind out results. Ultimately, the 19-year-old secured a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 1-6, 7-6(7) win.

After the match, Tien reflected on some of the feelings he experienced during the absorbing contest.

"I know I made it a lot harder than maybe it could have been... Losing the third was tough after playing for that long and having a match point. I didn't even get to touch the ball I don't think, it was an ace. So it was a little disappointing to see a fourth [set] after fighting back from a breakdown in the third," Learner Tien said.

Next up for Learner Tien after his resounding success against Alexander Zverev in Acapulco is a quarterfinal clash against No. 8 seed Tomas Machac on February 28.