This wasn’t an upset, this was a belting.
Daniil Medvedev the 2021 US Open winner and 11th seed here was humbled by American Leaner Tien losing in straight sets 6-4, 6-0, 6-3.
Tien was a 19-year-old qualifier when he caused one of the surprises of the tournament last year by beating Medvedev over five sets in the second round.
A year later, the fact that the now 20-year-old beat Medvedev was no longer a surprise for a player now ranked 29 in the world. Clearly he is now a learner in name only.
That he so thoroughly dismantled Medvedev such that the Russian was able to win just two games in the second and third sets was a better measure of Tien’s rapid rise and thorough domination as one of the rising stars of the game.
“It feels amazing. So special to do it here,” Tien said.
Tien plays last year’s finalist Alexander Zverev next after the German easily beat Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets.
“I was able to beat him the first time we played, but the second time he beat me pretty bad,” he said.
Daniil Medvedev of Russia walks from the court following his fourth round loss to Learner Tien of the U.S.Credit: AP
It made for an interesting tournament for Medvedev competing here – as all Russian and Belarusian players on the tour do – under no flag.
Early in the tournament he was criticised, along with women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka and other Russian and Belarusian players, by Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova for what she said was their tacit support for Vladimir Putin and the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Oliynykova singled out Medvedev competing in a tournament sponsored by state-owned energy company Gazprom in St Petersburg.
Medvedev, who has previously distanced himself from the invasion of Ukraine, was among the players who competed in last year’s event. Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis also appeared at the tournament in 2024.