Learner Tian shocks defending champion at Delray Beach rally: ‘I just always believed’ | ATP Tour
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Tian shocks defending champions at Delray Beach rally: ‘I always believed’
The southpaw just reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open
February 19, 2026
Photo by Andrew Patron/BigShots
Learner Tian defeated Miomir Kekmanović in a final-set tiebreaker Thursday in Delray Beach.
Written by ATP Staff
Novice Tian isn’t ready to end his Delray Beach Open just yet.
The 20-year-old southpaw fell within two points of defending champion Miomir Kecmanovic 5-4 in the deciding set, but prevailed 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5) to advance to the quarterfinals.
“I’ve always believed it,” Tian said in an on-court interview. “I had a bad match in four sets but I just tried to put it behind me and let him beat me in the end.”
Kekmanovic showed no signs of nervousness when serving in the game, and he kept serving from the baseline to put constant pressure on the home favorites. But Tien’s defense was outstanding and turned into a brick wall at the most critical moment.
Once the reigning Next Generation ATP Finals champion regained the break, he raced to the finish line to take a 2-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“I was kind of lucky. I think luck always plays a little role,” Tian said. “But I think just fighting, just staying out there every point and really letting him shut me out, I think [that] Just paid it off. “
Tien is fresh off reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, where he defeated former PIF ATP No. 1 Daniil Medvedev and forced Alexander Zverev into a fourth-set tiebreaker.
