Learner Tien reached his first tour-level semifinal at the China Open after his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire due to injury.
Tien had fought back against Musetti to bring the quarterfinal match to a decisive third set before the Italian withdrew from the contest at 3-0 in the third, becoming the latest addition to the long injury list in Beijing.
With the result, the 19-year-old will become the number one-ranked teenager on the ATP Tour, surpassing his Next Gen ATP Finals conqueror, Joao Fonseca.
He has also now achieved an impressive feat that only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz can beat.
Photo by China Open Official 2025/VCG via Getty ImagesLearner Tien trails only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in feat
Tien has now beaten five top ten players in 2025, tallying a strike rate of 5-2 against the world’s very best.
The young American has earned victories over Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, Andrey Rublev and now Lorenzo Musetti this season.
Only the top two-ranked players on the planet, Sinner and Alcaraz, have amassed more top ten wins than Tien.
He is also now just the second player ever to reach the semifinals in Beijing before turning 20, following Rafael Nadal, who did so in 2005.
Learner Tien’s semifinal opponent at the China Open
Tien’s semifinal opponent comes in the form of Medvedev, against whom he holds a winning record after their first and only tour-level meeting at the Australian Open earlier this year.
After coming through qualifying in Melbourne, he beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the first round to set up a clash with the Russian in round two.
Their bout went to a fifth and final set, which Tien ultimately clinched in a tiebreak before going on to reach the fourth round in his debut campaign at the Australian Open.
The two will now face off for a place in the final of the China Open, with the winner set to go toe-to-toe with either Sinner or Alex de Minaur for the title.