Daniil Medvedev has never shied away from giving his honest opinions publicly, and he recently stirred up the tennis world with his take on rising stars Learner Tien and João Fonseca.
The former World No. 1 praised both upcoming talents for their quick rise, but also made it clear that one of them is superior, despite his losses against the other. The Russian also compared Tien to Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Daniil Medvedev’s Verdict on Learner Tien and João Fonseca
Medvedev has not been very lucky against Tien this year and admitted to being nervous against him earlier. Now, in a recent interview with Brasil Tênis, Medvedev stated that Tien is quite steady from the baseline and has good tactical awareness.
He even claimed that if there were no serving in tennis, not many, except Sinner and Alcaraz, would be able to beat Tien easily. Interestingly, the American teenager ranked just below the pair in terms of top 10 wins scored this season, having beaten Ben Shelton, Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Lorenzo Musetti.
“If there were no serves in tennis, something that, of course, will never happen, then, with the exception of Sinner and Alcaraz, I don’t see anyone capable of easily beating him,” Medvedev said.
He also said that Tien might not have one big, standout weapon, but he makes up for it with smart point construction and court control. “He’s a phenomenal player, with excellent court control. He can’t say he has an exceptional shot, but he plays very well,” the Russian said.
However, Medvedev still ranked Fonseca a bit higher, suggesting that the Brazilian’s explosive game fits today’s men’s tennis better. “Both are great tennis players, but Fonseca has a bit more potential due to his playing style and the current state of tennis,” Medvedev stated.
According to him, Fonseca’s mix of power, athleticism, and shot-making gives him a slight edge in long-term potential over Tien right now.
Fonseca and Tien’s Breakout 2025 Season and Head-to-Head Stats
Tien’s 2025 started outside the top 120 in rankings. However, he climbed over 90 spots to finish at a career-high No. 28 and ended the year with a 32–23 record. He won his first ATP title by beating Cameron Norrie in the final at the ATP 250 Moselle Open in Metz.
Tien also made an impact at the Grand Slams. He reached the fourth round of the Australian Open, becoming the youngest man since Rafael Nadal in 2005 to do so. He also pulled off an upset by defeating the then world No. 5 Medvedev in the second round.
Tien earned five wins over the top-10 players throughout the year, including victories over players like Alexander Zverev and Lorenzo Musetti. His steady rise earned him a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals for two years straight.
Fonseca’s 2025 season was just as impressive. He ended the year at a career-high No. 24 with a 26–16 record and became Brazil’s top-ranked singles player by February. He won two ATP titles- the Argentina Open and the Swiss Indoors. He also drew attention at the Grand Slams after he defeated Andrey Rublev in the opening round of the Australian Open.
However, Fonseca’s season had one setback toward the end, as the defending champion had to withdraw from the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals due to an injury.
Fonseca has a 3-0 lead in head-to-head matches against Tien, having beaten the American twice at the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals – once in the group stage and again in the final match. The Brazilian won another close three-set match in the first round of the Miami Open.