Daniil Medvedev learned of Tien rematch on scoreboard, doesn’t mind Australian Open draw spoilers

MELBOURNE, Australia—The Australian Open jumbotrons provide little solace to players in the heat of battle, but one update gave Daniil Medvedev a healthy chuckle during his tough third-round match against Fabian Marozsan.

Down two sets against the on-fire Hungarian, Medvedev roared back from the brink to win his tenth five-setter of his career, booking an equally tough test in the second week in rival Learner Tien.

Tien stunned Medvedev at this very tournament last year, kicking off a rivalry that lasted throughout the 2025 season, playing three times in total.

So, while the 2021 US Open champion doesn’t go out of his way to avoid draw spoilers, you can imagine it wasn’t the best motivation for a nearly down-and-out Medvedev to discover Tien was already through:

Q. I know you have some history with Learner Tien. When you come off the court after a five-set match like that and know that that is your reward, how do you feel about it?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: During the match they showed the scores. Usually I don't look on TVs or something. This time I glimpsed. This moment, they were, like, Tien three sets. I thought okay. And I was two sets to love down.

If I win this one, it's going to be five sets. It's going to be very tough, and then I have Learner. But it's okay. The most important, as I said, is to win this match. Then the next one is Learner.

Q. Knowing you were going to play Tien, how far ahead do you look in the draw?

DANIIL MEDVEDEV: I always say I never look at the draw, like, Oh, my God, if I win this, I play this. Now I know the draw. The more I go through the tournament, sometimes they show it on TV. I don't go, (covers face) ‘Oh, my God, I'm not going to watch.’ I basically know the draw in and out already. Not all the pairs, but I know which seeds I have.

Again, it doesn't matter. Need to beat Learner to be in the quarters. Need to beat someone else to be... So it's match by match.

Medvedev is in the midst of an unbeaten streak to start the 2026 season, winning his 22nd career ATP title in Brisbane and three more matches in Melbourne to put himself a win away from his first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2024 US Open.