Watch now

Learner Tien is now 4-1 against Top 10 players this year after Rublev upset in Washington D.C.

All four of the American teenager’s Top 10 wins this year were also first-time meetings against those players.

By John Berkok
STUNNER: Learner Tien, 19, takes out world No. 2 Alexander Zverev in Acapulco0:51

He may be only 19 years old, but Learner Tien has already shown a penchant for raising his game against top players, and he did it again in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night, taking out Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the second round of the ATP 500-level event, 7-5, 6-2.

With that victory over the world No. 10, the American teenager is now 4-1 against Top 10 players this year, and 4-2 overall in his career.

TIEN CAREER RECORD VS TOP 10 PLAYERS: 4-2

  • l. to No. 10 Tiafoe in '23 US Open 1st Rd, 6-2, 7-5, 6-1
  • d. No. 5 Medvedev in '25 Australian Open 2nd Rd, 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 1-6, 7-6
  • d. No. 2 Zverev in '25 Acapulco 2nd Rd, 6-3, 6-4
  • l. to No. 3 Zverev in '25 Roland Garros 1st Rd, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4
  • d. No. 10 Shelton in '25 Mallorca 2nd Rd, 6-4, 7-6
  • d. No. 10 Rublev in '25 Washington D.C. 2nd Rd, 7-5, 6-2

Coincidentally, Tien is 4-0 in his career against Top 10 players in second-round matches, but 0-2 against the elite in first-round matches.

DELRAY BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 13: Learner Tien (USA) in action at his Round 16 game against Matteo Arnaldi (ITALY) during the Delray Beach Open on Thursday February 13, 2025, at the Delray Beach Stadium & Tennis Center in Delray Beach, Florida.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
© ¬©Icon Sportswire (A Division of XML Team Solutions) All Rights Reserved

Fresh off of back-to-back fourth-round appearances at Roland Garros and Wimbledon and a semifinal showing on the hard courts of Los Cabos last week, Rublev had been in good form coming in—he had also won nine of his last 10 matches against left-handed players.

And it looked like he would keep that momentum going late in the first set on Wednesday as he brought up three set points in Tien’s 4-5 service game—but Tien saved them all, held for 5-all, broke for 6-5 and swiftly held serve to put the 54-minute opening frame away.

He then broke in the very first game of the second set and was never behind again, eventually breaking again for 5-2 and serving it out.

His reward for upsetting the No. 5 seed in the second round will be a third-round encounter against No. 12 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who defeated fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar, 6-4, 6-2.

The two will play each other for the first time on Thursday.