AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2026

Learner Tien

Maile Chang

Micah Chang

Press Conference

A. ZVEREV/L. Tien

6-3, 6-7, 6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Learner, bad luck today, but what a wonderful run at the AO. Sascha was very complimentary of you. Can you look back at your tournament and give us your opinion?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, super happy with how I played all week. I think, you know, match by match I just got a little bit better. So super happy with how I was kind of progressing through the tournament.

I mean, I was down a break in the fourth first round, so to be in the quarters, it's amazing.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Learner, well done. What, if anything, surprised you about your performance the last couple of weeks?

LEARNER TIEN: I haven't given it that much thought, honestly. Obviously I know I've been playing great tennis. I mean, I know maybe even coming to this year in Brisbane, maybe I wasn't playing amazing, and even starting off my tournament here, I wasn't playing incredible by any means.

But I think very happy with how I was kind of improving with each match. I think, you know, match by match, day by day, I just felt a little bit more comfortable. I felt like I was seeing the ball a little bit better. By the end of the tournament, I was playing very well. So I'm very happy about that.

Q. About the match today, it felt like from the stands it had a bit of a weird flow, and it was kind of hard to figure out what was sort of deciding the action at any given point. I'm just wondering sort of what went wrong for you in the third set that wasn't going wrong for you in other sets?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, I think that set was 20-something minutes probably. Maybe a little bit of an emotional letdown after the second set.

I mean, you know, he was pretty much in a position to serve out the second-set breaker, and I was kind of able to steal that set. Maybe I was a bit happy I was able to steal that, and I had a little bit of a drop-off.

I think, you know, I played kind of a loose game to get broken, and then he was serving great obviously, so he was holding pretty quickly. You know, the set just kind of slipped through my fingers very fast.

Q. It's been a big day for both you and Iva Jovic, a feel like the future of American tennis between you. It's also interesting that you are both second-gen immigrants in the U.S. In the context of everything that's happening at the moment with Trump and ICE, what does your heritage mean to you, and how important are immigrants to America in American sport today?

LEARNER TIEN: Sorry, I don't -- I don't really want to talk about that right now.

Q. I just wondered if you could talk about your relationship with Michael Chang sort of midmatch, how that works? I think there was a game towards the end of the second set. He was offering a lot, looked like, tactical advice and encouragement, and what he kind of gives you mid-match?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I think he's always a very calming presence. Offers me a lot of stuff mid-match, especially stuff that maybe I'm not picking up on. You know, a lot of it was encouragement, telling me to stick with him as best as I could.

Obviously he played a good match. He was playing pretty well from start to finish, so you know, for portions of the match, I was just trying to stay with him and not let him kind of run away with things.

So it's more of that. He was just giving me little bits of encouragement here and there.

Q. How much do you feel like experience in this setting played a role in the match? And secondly, just in terms of your own career and game development, is it more important to win a title like you did last year or get to, like, this stage of a major?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, first off, I think that going out there in the first set, maybe I came out a little bit flat. I don't think I've played on that court in a few years. Obviously, you know, maybe I'm not super used to playing in a setting like that quite yet.

But I think, again, it's an amazing experience for me, especially this early in my career to get chances like that. I think maybe bits of experience would maybe help in something like the third set where I feel like I had a little bit of a drop-off after managing to take the second.

So I think stuff like that is good for me to experience now. You know, it only sets me up better for the future.

In terms of, I mean, are you kind of asking what is more special, like, this week or winning a title?

Q. I don't know. You got over a couple of humps, right, winning your first title and now getting to this stage of a major. Like in the context of when you think about things, which feels like a more important stepping stone for your career?

LEARNER TIEN: I wouldn't put one over the other. They've both been big goals for me and boxes that I've really wanted to tick, so very happy with how I played this week.

And the fact that I was able to make it to the quarters, that was a goal of mine coming into the year. So happy to check that box in the first slam of the year.

I mean, it's hard to say. I mean, winning my first title was really special, so it's tough to put stuff above that.

Q. Can I ask some questions to these two guests?

THE MODERATOR: Let's ask two more to Learner and then the guests.

Q. At just 20 years old, there is already a lot of attention on you. How do you manage that pressure and stay focused on your game and on your life?

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, I don't think about it too much. I don't feel like a weight on my shoulder by any means. You know, I'm very fortunate to be in the position that I'm in, and I think I lead a pretty special life that, you know, a lot of people don't get to live.

I think it's great just to go around and travel and play tennis. I just enjoy that as much as I can.

Q. What do you think is at the moment the weakest part of your game and something over the course of the year and in 12 months' time you want to look back on and hope that you've really improved?

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, I think my serve can improve. I think a lot of things can improve. I think all-around I can still get better in a lot of areas.

You know, physically, I wouldn't say I'm close to, you know, where I hope to be one day either, but I think weeks like this are good to test myself. I get a lot of takeaways from winning and losing these matches.

I think it's great. It just really sets me up to come back, come back and be even better the next time I play.

THE MODERATOR: For the participants.

Q. I want to ask you guys what was the experience of watching, cheering for Learner? I think you guys used to come to this kind of stadium to cheer for Nishikori. I was wondering if you guys remember about that kind of time?

MAILE CHANG: Honestly...

MICAH CHANG: I didn't remember cheering for Nishikori, because I was too young.

MAILE CHANG: Yeah, I don't really remember, honestly.

Q. How did you feel about watching him and, of course, your dad is here coaching Learner, so what was your feeling? How much are you guys excited, or what kind of things are you thinking during the match?

MAILE CHANG: I think it makes me really happy to cheer for Learner just because I feel really close to him, but yeah (laughter).

MICAH CHANG: I don't have anything to say.

LEARNER TIEN: It's not good for him, I guess.