Zverev overpowers Tien to reach Australian Open semis
Last year’s runner-up Alexander Zverev powered into the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday, relying on a dominant serving display to overcome young American Learner Tien.
The German world number three claimed a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory and will next face either world number one Carlos Alcaraz or home favourite Alex de Minaur for a place in the final in Melbourne, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
Zverev, 28, is still chasing his first Grand Slam title after falling short in several major finals, including last year’s Australian Open decider, where he was well beaten by Jannik Sinner.
“Without my aces I probably would not have won today,” Zverev said after the match, having fired down 24 aces and committed just one double fault. “Obviously very happy with my serve.
“Learner off the baseline was playing unbelievable,” he added. “The way he is playing is incredible.”
The quarter-final was played under a closed roof at Rod Laver Arena as organisers sought to shield players and fans from forecast temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius outside.
Ranked 29th in the world, Tien was the lowest-ranked player remaining in the men’s draw. At just 20 years old, he was also the youngest, competing in the biggest match of his career, having never previously reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam.
Zverev, by contrast, arrived with far greater experience at the latter stages of major tournaments, despite famously never having lifted one of tennis’s four biggest trophies. He was also runner-up at the US Open in 2020 and again at the French Open in 2024.
The more seasoned player made a stronger start, breaking Tien’s serve to move 4-2 ahead before closing out the opening set.
Tien, who won his first ATP title in November and is coached by 1989 French Open champion Michael Chang, matched Zverev stride for stride in the second set. With both players dominating on serve, the set went to a tiebreak. Zverev surged into a 5-3 lead, but Tien showed resilience, defending superbly to claw back and overturn the deficit, levelling the match.
Buoyed by crowd support, the American continued to battle, but Zverev’s serve remained relentless. The German raced to a 5-1 advantage in the third set and wrapped it up in just 28 minutes as Tien’s unforced errors began to mount.
With Chang offering vocal encouragement from the stands, Tien regrouped in the fourth set and even earned a set point at 6-5. Zverev, however, held firm under pressure, forced another tiebreak, and then dominated it with his serve blazing, sealing victory and his place in the semi-finals.
By Nijat Babayev
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