Medvedev, after being crushed by Tseng: “Few times in life had I felt this way”
The Russian accepted his defeat in Australia sportsmanlike, always valuing his opponent: “I haven't been able to find any solution, which is rare.”
Daniil Medvedev cannot be very upset about his last match at the 2026 Australian Open. Yes, he lost in the round of 16, only won seven games, but the level of Learner Tien was outstanding. A day to applaud his opponent and sleep in peace.
The theory sounds easy, although the frustration of the Russian during the match itself must have been immense. "What else can I do?" he repeated to himself over and over, seeking instructions that never came from his team. Impossible this time. Impossible against a 20-year-old who approached perfection during the 1h42min that the match lasted. Daniil Medvedev eliminated from the Australian Open, the three-time finalist in Melbourne. The man many pointed to as the third major title contender. These were his words in the press conference before leaving the tournament.
Match Evaluation
"Learner played too well today. Could I have done better? I mean, you can always do better when you're losing, especially looking at the scoreboard, but I felt he played the match of his life. He played very well, super aggressive, always hitting a better shot than mine. I didn't find many solutions on the court, which is unusual; I haven't felt like this many times in my life. He had an incredible match, everything went in for him, surely he would have done the same blindfolded. I don't know, I should have tried something different to disturb him, but it doesn't matter. The point is that he had a great match, and I never managed to reach his level, that's why I lost. There's nothing I can change at this point."
Comparison with Last Year's Match
"It's a very difficult question because everything has changed since then. Honestly, I can't answer; I would say that in my case, I'm playing much better than a year ago, but I guess there might be other aspects where there are similarities. I'm sure I played better than last year, but maybe today's match score doesn't reflect it. I don't have a clear answer to your question, sorry."
No Physical Excuses
"It had nothing to do with it. The match against Fabian was very intense, that's true, but it wasn't four hours; I felt very good at the end. Today, it wasn't about the legs for me; it was only about tennis and not so much about the physical side. Physically, I was fine."
Defeat Doesn't Tarnish His Start of the Year
"I should focus more on the bigger picture rather than just my last match. I think if we consider my last eight tournaments, since the last US Open, I believe I've played very well. I beat many players, performed well against some of the best, achieved good results. Here, I won two tough matches against opponents who played really well. I can't focus only on a match that wasn't good; he completely outplayed me today, so it's not the best feeling. I should look at everything with perspective and keep working as in the recent tournaments. If I manage to play well, I know I can beat the best, although it's unfortunate to end a Grand Slam with a match like this."
Medvedev Analyzes the Beating Received by Learner Tien
"I was trying to win a game, but it wasn't easy. I don't know if I got a chance to win a game; I think in that stretch, I only got close to 40-40 a couple of times. I was trying to figure out what I could do to disrupt his level; I guess I did something because we reached 4-3, there a small possibility opened up, although there was ultimately no greater opportunity. I play without thinking about the score; I try to win at all times, matches can always turn around and get crazy at certain moments. I was trying to remind myself to fight until the last point, but this time the last point didn't go my way."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Medvedev, tras ser aplastado por Tien: “Pocas veces en la vida me había sentido así”