Daniil Medvedev showed mental toughness as he edged past rising American star Learner Tien in a nail-biting fourth-round clash at the 2025 Shanghai Masters. The match marked his first victory over Tien in three encounters this season, keeping his Masters 1000 campaign alive and securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
What Did Daniil Medvedev Reveal About His Mindset During the Battle With Learner Tien?
Medvedev, the 2019 Shanghai champion, entered the tournament with solid momentum but faced significant challenges as the draw grew tougher. The 16th seed opened his campaign with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Dalibor Svrcina in the second round. In the third round, he took on 18th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and managed a straight-sets win, 6-3, 7-6(5).
The fourth-round match against Tien turned out to be a true test of Medvedev’s resilience. The two players battled through a rollercoaster three-set encounter. Medvedev claimed the first set in a tense tiebreak, 7-6(6), only for Tien to roar back, winning the second set 7-6(1).
Late in the second set, Medvedev struggled with cramps, forcing him to dig deep and summon every ounce of stamina and focus for the deciding set. He ultimately prevailed 6-4, a hard-fought victory that earned him his third Masters 1000 quarterfinal of the year.
Meddy’s Moment! 👏@DaniilMedwed outlasts Tien (7-6 6-7 6-4) in an EPIC encounter to advance into the Shanghai quarter-finals@SH_RolexMasters | #RolexShanghaiMasterspic.twitter.com/Ah3jbLrNUs
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 8, 2025
Speaking to the media after the match, Medvedev reflected on the challenge posed by Tien. When asked about discussions with his team during the match, he said, “Zero, zero. It doesn’t help. I should be more calm. Learner drives me nuts. He’s an unbelievable tennis player.”
“I lost two very strong matches against him, so for sure I was scared to lose again. I’m really happy that I managed to cross the finish line. The match was up-and-down, but I’m very happy that I managed to win.”
With Medvedev’s fourth-round victory, their head-to-head stands at 2-1 in favor of Tien. Their rivalry began at the 2025 Australian Open, where Tien defeated Medvedev in a five-set thriller 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-7(8), 1-6, 7-6(7).
Their second encounter came at the 2025 China Open in Beijing, where Tien once again had the upper hand. After dropping the first set 5-7, Tien fought back to take the second 7-5 before Medvedev retired while trailing 0-4 in the deciding set, citing physical discomfort.
Looking ahead, Medvedev will face seventh seed Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals. The matchup will be their 12th meeting on the ATP Tour, with Medvedev leading their head-to-head 7-4. De Minaur advanced with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges. The winner of the quarterfinal will face either Arthur Rinderknech or 12th seed Félix Auger-Aliassime in the semifinals.
