Learner Tien Stuns Medvedev Again, Will Face Sinner in Beijing Final – Tennis Now

By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Photo credit: Getty for China Open

Don’t let the placid smile and unimposing stature fool you.

Learner Tien is a tennis terminator at heart—and he just cut down another seeded casualty in Beijing.

The 19-year-old Tien punished Daniil Medvedev building a 5-7, 7-5, 4-0 lead when the former No. 1 tapped out of today’s Beijing semifinals suffering apparent cramping.

At 19 years, 9 months, Tien is the second youngest Beijing finalist in history after former world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, who was 19 years, 3 months old when he defeated Guillermo Coria in the 2005 China Open final.

“I was down 3-5 and 2-4 in the second and clawed my way back,” Tien said. “I didn’t think anything was wrong with him and then he came out of the bathroom break kind of limping, so I was not sure if he was cramping or if he was injured as he had tape on his leg.

“I think it was cramping and I have been there and it is not fun. All the best to him and it is not how you want to come through a match but I am happy to be in the final.”

Medvedev’s pain was Tien’s glorious gain.

A sad ending to an exciting clash 😢

Learner Tien is through to his maiden ATP Tour final after Daniil Medvedev retires whilst down 5-7 7-5 4-0* in Beijing 🇨🇳 #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/vnTBdyXZy9

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 30, 2025

World No. 52 Tien advanced to his first career Tour-level final where he will face Wimbledon winner Jannik Sinner for the championship. 

Tien is the first American to reach the Beijing final since Andy Roddick won the title back in 2008.

The top-seeded Sinner stopped Alex de Minaur 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, in two hours and 20 minutes to advance to his ninth consecutive hard-court final. Sinner is the third man to reach three or more Beijing finals.

Though Tien is listed at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds he continues to solidify his status as a tennis giant killer, improving to 7-5 lifetime vs. Top 20 opponents. Coached by former French Open champion Michael Chang, Tien competes with the grit and guts reminiscent of the Hall of Famer and seldom looked stressed against Medvedev even at critical stages today.

Yesterday, Tien held a 4-6, 6-3, 3-0 lead over Lorenzo Musetti when the fourth-seeded Italian retired.

Today, Medvedev served for the final at 7-5, 5-3 only to see the left-handed Tien tear through eight of the next 10 points to level the set at 5-all.

Tien converted his fourth break point for a 6-5 lead then closed the set on his second set point.

What a turnaround! 😨

Learner Tien takes the second set from *5-3 down against Daniil Medvedev to level the semi-final!#ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/lCsEUEc24l

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) September 30, 2025

The sight of the slender Tien across the net may well terrify Medvedev at this point.

Remember, at the Australian Open last January, then world No. 121 shocked the former US Open champion 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7).

Today, Medvedev began suffering what appeared to be both hand/arm and leg cramps. A staggered Medvedev, who was clearly laboring behind the baseline, engaged in a brief argument with the chair umpire, who questioned his effort for failing to try to return a serve.

An incredulous Medvedev argued his case to both the chair umpire and tournament referee, drawing a bit of a physical reprieve from the apparent cramping.

“Why is every umpire in the world trying to intimidate me?” Medvedev fumed.

None of that mattered much to Tien, who ground the eighth seed down.

Tien closed this conquest with one of his biggest career wins writing on the court-side camera lens “Get better soon Daniil.”