Learner Tien’s interview after beating Daniil Medvedev was excruciatingly awkward (Image: Eurosport)
Imagine knocking out the World No.5 in a Grand Slam as an unknown teenager, and all people end up talking about is your awkward post-match interview. Well, in fairness to Learner Tien, it wasn’t his fault.
The 19-year-old American, ranked No.121 in the world, outlasted to seal an astonishing in their second round clash at the on Thursday. The result saw Medvedev become the second top 10 seed to be eliminated from the tournament, and dealt him just his second defeat prior to the third round in a Grand Slam since 2020.
Tien, who is competing in his first-ever tournament, instantly endeared himself to supporters, primarily because of his stunning win, but also because of the way he handled his supremely-cringeworthy on-court interview after the match. To kick things off, Aussie doubles champion-turned-TV-commentator John Fitzgerald, who conducted the interview, opted to start with a blunt assertion (as opposed to, you know, a question) before awkwardly shoving the mic under Tien’s nose.
“Nineteen-year-olds are not meant to be that good,” he said, prompting an awkward pause as Tien tried to decipher whether or not a question was coming. “I mean, I don’t know what to say to that,” Tien said as the crowd laughed.
Fitzgerald then took the cringeworthiness up a notch by bizarrely telling the youngster: “I used to live in Newport Beach, so I know where you live, by the way” – cue another toe-curling pause, as Tien scrambled for an appropriate response.
Next, instead of asking his first question, Fitzgerald offered up another assertation. “Goodness me, that is an exceptional effort. You know, it is the first a five-setter has gone to a super tiebreak this year,” he said, as an increadingly-confused Tien smiled politely.
Tien advanced to the third round of the Australian Open after beating Medvedev in five sets (Image: Getty)
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Then, mercifully, a question came, but Fitzgerald did his utmost to make it an awkward one. He asked Tien: “You don’t know what to say to that either, do you?”
The California native replied: “I was definitely hoping it was not going to go to a fifth set breaker. But you know, either way, just really happy to get a win. I know I made it a lot harder than maybe it could have been, but you know, whatever.”
To wrap things up, Fitzgerald told Tien “well done, young man”. But the awkwardness didn’t stop there. He handed Tien the mic, as if he was prompting the youngster to continue speaking despite the fact the interview was obviously over.
This reaction to the Learner Tien Interview after he beat Daniil Medvedev sums it up well ????????????: IG
— Vansh (@vanshv2k)
“That is the worst interview I’ve ever seen in my life,” one fan wrote in response on X. Another added: “Cringe AF.”
A third said: “I haven’t stopped cringing since I watched this two hours ago. What a car wreck. How on earth did the interviewer think that was the right way to conduct things. Honestly, so bizarre.”
Up next, Tien will face Corentin Moutet in the third round, and victory there would set up a fourth round clash with either Lorenzo Sonego or Fabian Marozsan. Should he advance to quarter-finals he’d likely World No.4 .
Prior to this month’s , the only other Grand Slam Tien had competed in was the US Open. He’d done so on three occasions, each time as a wildcard, and each time he was knocked out in the first round.