AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2026

Learner Tien

Press Conference

L. TIEN/N. Borges

7-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Learner, congrats. Well done today in straight sets. Are you looking forward to the next round rematch with Daniil?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I am. I think it's pretty crazy that we end up playing here again a year later. Yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Last time you were in this room you were eating a pizza, beat Daniil Medvedev, at like 4 a.m. What is your memory of that night?

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, I was really tired. Obviously really happy. I remember my leg was hurting really bad.

But yeah, I remember just being really happy. I don't know. My mind was in a million places, but mostly happy.

Q. In terms of full circle with Medvedev in the last year, talk about your journey, and also this place. You had success here as junior and a lot as a pro. What is it about this place that syncs with you?

LEARNER TIEN: I'm not sure. I'm not sure. This is my third time coming here, second time in pros. I played once in juniors.

I've just always enjoyed playing here. I don't know if it's the courts. Definitely, the support is always amazing when I come. It's always a special place for me to come back to.

I'm not really sure. I feel like I play good tennis down here. I have lots of great memories here. Coming back, I mean, obviously is always really special. It's only my third year here, but I feel like I've been coming here a lot longer than that.

Q. You're showing really good form here. It's hard not to think about what your potential could be. How do you as a player stop yourself from expectations and just stay in the moment?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, my biggest focus right now is just improving. There's a lot of things in my game that can still get better. So that's my biggest focus.

I've always just thought, you know, if I just focus and work on the things that need work, that the results, the ranking, all that will come. It's rare that you see improvement without seeing results come with it. Just getting better is my biggest focus.

Q. If you compare your game to a year ago, how does it stand up? What have you developed and what are you trying to add to it?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, I think everything's gotten a lot better just in general. I mean, I have a year's worth of experience under my belt now. That's one of the bigger things that's helped me a lot.

I think just getting to play more matches at this level has been really big for me, just getting out there and experiencing these different matchups that I haven't had before, having to work my way through the ups and downs of the season has been huge for me.

I think in general I feel like everything has gotten a bit better. I think I'm more mature of a player. I think I handle a lot of these matches a lot better.

Overall, I just think I've improved.

Q. When you're growing up and picturing yourself being on tour, what is the difference between playing these top players? Is it what you expected?

LEARNER TIEN: I mean, it's very surreal to play some of these matches, you know, look across the net and see them. Some of them are a bit tougher than others to process at first.

I mean, it's just very, very surreal for me to play these matches. I mean, super cool. I try to enjoy it as much as I can. Obviously, when you play these guys, you're always going to be on a big court, there's going to be a lot of people watching.

I just try to enjoy it as much as I can. It's what you dream of as a kid. I try to let the pressure go and just go out and enjoy it as much as I can.

Q. I think most tennis fans last year would say probably the rivalry of the year was Sinner-Alcaraz. A pretty close second place is Tien-Medvedev. Having played him three times, all being classic matches, what do you think it is about your two games that lines up so well, produce these epics together, the chemistry between the styles?

LEARNER TIEN: Yeah, I mean, we've played three times. I mean, all of them have been wars. I think he served for the match all three times.

I think we both make a lot of balls. We both don't give up too many free points. I think naturally that makes the rallies very long, games very long.

We both don't make it easy on our opponents. So, naturally, we're not making it easy on each other. We both have to work very hard for points and games.

I think matches just kind of drag out. Yeah, I mean, I feel like that's the easiest way to put it.

Q. (Question about Michael Chang and southern California connection.)

LEARNER TIEN: I don't think I ever spoke to him before we started working together. A couple months into us working together, my mom sent me a picture that I took with him from when I was pretty young, from who knows what year, that I don't even remember taking that photo.

But yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say I ever really met him or spoke to him before. The first time we spoke was I think right after Wimbledon. When we started working together, that was kind of when I met him for the first time.

I always knew he lived in California. Never knew exactly where. It's not like I would see him playing tennis, just out and about. I knew he was close by. That's been great actually. It's been very convenient for both of us. But never ran into him anywhere before, earlier than last year.

Q. There's some hot temperatures forecast in coming days, 40 degrees. Does that suit you being a younger player? Do you think the right protocols are in place to protect players?

LEARNER TIEN: I'm not even sure. I haven't seen the forecast. I've heard people saying it's going to be hot. I'm not really sure. I haven't seen it. I don't even know what the protocols are, honestly, with the heat rules and stuff.

I honestly don't have much of an idea on that.