Daniil Medvedev survived a rollercoaster match against rising star Learner Tien at the ATP Shanghai Masters on Wednesday, clinching a nail-biting 7-6(6), 6-7(1), 6-4 victory after nearly three hours of high-octane tennis. 🥵 The win marks Medvedev's first triumph over the 19-year-old American this season, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Australia's Alex de Minaur.
🔥 The Drama Unfolds: After trading breaks late in the first set, Medvedev sealed a tense tiebreaker with back-to-back clutch points. But Tien—ranked just outside the top 30—stunned the crowd by rallying from 0-3 down in the second set, forcing a decider after Medvedev battled cramps. 💪
🏆 Veteran Resilience: The 2021 US Open champion dug deep in the final set, breaking Tien at 4-4 before serving out the match. "He's an unbelievable player for 19," Medvedev said, praising Tien's rapid rise despite lacking a powerhouse serve. "He's only going up."
Next up for Medvedev? A showdown with World No. 7 de Minaur, who just became the third player this year to hit 50 ATP wins. 🚀 Will the Russian star level their head-to-head record? Stay tuned! 👀
