Learner Tien, a Vietnamese American tennis player who is just 19 years old, has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
According to Al Jazeera, Tien is the youngest player to reach the fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005.
“I don’t think I can start comparing myself to [Nadal] now, but that’s really cool,” Tien, said per ESPN.
The 19-year-old entered the competition as the 16th seed in the qualifying tournament, having to play several matches before reaching the first round of the Australian Open. He stunned tennis fans by beating the 5th seed Daniil Medvedev in a five-set thriller.
According to Tennis.com, Tien’s parents came to the U.S. from Vietnam after the Vietnam War and settled down in Irvine, California. Tien’s mother was a teacher which is why he is named “Learner.”
Tien graduated high school at 16. As a junior, he reached two junior Grand Slam finals and achieved a 76–23 win-loss record. Now, he’s in the last 16 of the Australian Open.
“This [has] exceeded my expectations, what I was hoping for coming into this week,” Tien said, per ESPN. “You go into every match believing you can win, but to be in the second week is amazing.”
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