Melbourne (AFP) - Learner Tien said he was playing some of his best tennis ever after battling through a nosebleed to crush three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev and make a Grand Slam quarter-final for the first time on Sunday.

The 20-year-old American, who capped a breakout 2025 by winning the ATP Next Gen title, thrashed the Russian 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in just 1hr 42 mins at the Australian Open.

It put 25th seed Tien, who still lives at home with his parents, into a last-eight clash with third-seeded German Alexander Zverev.

“A lot of confidence, for sure,” he said.

“I feel like I have been playing a little bit better match by match, and each match I’m making a little jump in how well I’m playing, how comfortable I feel.

“Right now I’m feeling better than I have all week, all year, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

He is the youngest men’s singles quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park since Nick Kyrgios in 2015 and the youngest American man to reach the last eight at a Slam since Andy Roddick in 2002 at the US Open.

“It feels amazing. I mean, so special to do it, especially here,” Tien, who won his first career title in Metz in November, said of making his maiden quarter-final.

“Every year since I’ve been coming here, the crowd support has been amazing. I don’t know why, honestly, a crowd like this with this much energy and support, it means the world to me to do it here.”

Defeat was a sorry end for former world number one Medvedev, who was also knocked out last year by then-teenage qualifier Tien, in a five-set marathon.

This time the 11th seed Medvedev, who reached three of the last five finals in Melbourne, was a shadow of his former self.

“He played too good for me today,” said Medvedev. “Could I do better? I mean, you can always do better if you lose with the scoreline I did.

“I didn’t manage to rival his level, and that’s why basically I lost.”

Tien broke immediately to signal his intent, but his momentum was interrupted when he needed treatment for a nosebleed. He later said it was just dry.

They resumed after a seven-minute break, with Tien taking the set.

After that it was all the American, who reeled off 10 straight games as Medvedev imploded, cutting a dejected figure.

He suddenly woke up and against the run of play won three games to give himself a glimmer of hope, before Tien seized back control and sprinted to the finish.

Medvedev was outplayed by Novak Djokovic in the 2021 final before a heart-wrenching defeat to Rafael Nadal a year later.

He lost to Jannik Sinner in 2024, crashing in five sets after being two up.