2025 Rivalry: Daniil Medvedev vs. Learner Tien | ATP Tour

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Rivalry in 2025: Medvedev vs. Tian

Relive one of the most unpredictable Lexus ATP Head2Head series of the season

November 25, 2025

To mark the end of another exciting season, ATPTour.com presents our annual “Best of” series, which will reflect the most interesting rivalries, games, comebacks, upsets and more. This week, we’re taking a look back at the best games of the year.

Daniil Medvedev vs. Learner Tien is a rivalry that no one saw coming in 2025. Medvedev started the season in the top 5, while Tien was outside the top 100, which hardly constitutes a recurring matchup. However, their three Lexus ATP Head2Head matches proved to be some of the most intriguing of the year.

As full-court players capable of carving up their opponents, their clashes become a series of compelling strategic equations. Another layer of intrigue lies in the battle between experience and youth, with the former PIF ATP No. 1 rising in influence as a teenager and even the seven-inch height difference between the two standing out in the nascent rivalry.

All three games of this year’s Lexus ATP showdown between Medvedev and Tenn entered the final set, with the American southpaw leading Medvedev 2-1. Tenn started the new year with an upset victory over Medvedev in five sets at the Australian Open, and they did not meet again until the Asian hard courts, with both meetings in eight days ending in draws.

Australian Open R64, Tian D. Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7)
Medvedev and Thien’s match in Melbourne, which included three tie-breaks, was played more like a Sudoku puzzle than a tennis match, and the 2:54 a.m. result added to the drama.

Tenn held a match point in the third set and Medvedev erased it with an ace, but in the end the game was destined to become a late-night classic in Melbourne rather than a routine straight-sets victory. Medvedev is the defending finalist and has reached the title match twice, but the former world No. 1 lost a 7/6 lead in the final set tie-break, ending his tournament. Tian scored four consecutive points and raised his arms in victory with a bright smile on his face.

“I definitely hope the match doesn’t go into the fifth set,” Tian admitted after the victory. “But I’m happy to get a win. I know I made it a lot more difficult than it could have been.”

Throughout the four-hour, 48-minute thriller, Thien displayed crafty groundstrokes and steady consistency to become the second-youngest American to reach the last 16 of the season’s first Grand Slam, tied with Pete Sampras, who reached the same stage at 18. Medvedev, meanwhile, ends the Grand Slam season with a 1-4 record.

Learner Tian celebrates the biggest win of his career against world number five Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open. ” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/01/17/00/41/tien-ao-2025-thursday-3.jpg”>
_{^{Tian defeated Medvedev in a thriller in Melbourne. Image source: Getty Images}}

Beijing SFs, Tien d. Medvedev retired 5-7, 7-5, 4-0
Early indications are that Medvedev is seeking revenge for his loss to Melbourne at the China Open in Beijing. Leading 4-1 in the first set and then holding serve at 5-3, victory seemed within reach. But Tian refused to give in and kept his cool during the long confrontation to make up for Medvedev’s mistakes and extend the ATP 500 semi-final showdown.

Medvedev left the court before the start of the third set and returned with tape on his right leg. From the first point of the decider, he was clearly struggling and appeared to be dealing with cramps. After completing the fourth game, the 29-year-old limped off the net and shook hands with Tian En, who advanced to the tour final for the first time and became the second youngest finalist in the history of the Beijing team, behind Rafael Nadal.

“I firmly believe that even if I fall behind, I can still compete,” Tian said of his comeback. “I was confident I could beat him because I beat him multiple times in the first set. I hung in there and it worked out.”

Shanghai R16, Medvedev d. Tian 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-4
Just eight days after Medvedev was forced to retire in Beijing, he was once again with Tian Zhengen across the website, and this third time was the charm. In a dramatic fourth-round match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, Medvedev overcame physical struggles late in the second set and used tenacity in the final moments to win.

A quality opener set the tone for one of the best games of the season. Then the drama intensified when Medvedev began to cramp at 6-5 in the second set. He asked the coaching staff for pickle juice and spoke to the physio before the tie-break, saying desperately: “What do you think I can do?” Medvedev limped around the court, and Tiann dominated the tie-break, his fate seemingly destined for a repeat of Beijing.

Medvedev, however, would not give up without a fight. Despite being frustrated with his physical condition and often looking to his team for answers, Medvedev won three straight games from 3-4 in the decider to end the two-hour, 53-minute match. Medvedev’s roller-coaster victory was driven more by his heart, and he signed the shot afterwards: “I don’t want to leave the best city in the world yet!”

In a post-match interview, a relieved Medvedev said: “For me, to beat him… I thought I was going to lose. I cramped again and I’m very happy to have done it.”

“I think the hardest part is we played twice [before]in my opinion, he is an incredible player because he does not have a great serve, which is so important in tennis. Without serving, he is already 19 years old, and his world ranking is already in his 30s, and is still rising. In my opinion, he is a very good tennis player. He has a really good feel for the game. “