If you have not committed their names to your memory yet, now is the time to do so with American tennis players Learner Tien and Iva Jovic.
Both advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals with straight set wins, and in stunning fashion, earned a bagel (6-0) win over the opponent.
Learner Tien
Tien, who turned 20 in December, is the 2025 NextGen ATP Finals champion; however, he has always been in the background with his peers Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik (who unfortunately withdrew with an abdominal injury robbing us a repeat of the Miami Open final against Novak Djokovic), and Alex Michelsen earning more attention.
He has consistently improved his game, playing amazing tennis last fall, and was in yet another match with Daniil Medvedev on Saturday night (their fourth in 12 months beginning last year at Australian Open where Tien earned the win), he delivered Medvedev’s first-ever Grand Slam bagel set outcome.
Learner Tien just became the first player to ever bagel Daniil Medvedev at a Slam!!!
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) January 25, 2026
Sam Querrey of ESPN provided additional insight on Tien, who is coached by 1989 French Open champion (as a teenager) Michael Chang. Querrey explained that Tien, a native Californian, was always around the USTA training facilities, even when Querrey trained there. Tien has been hitting with pro tennis players for at least a decade of his 19-year-old existence.
The experience and composure are paying dividends. His tennis IQ is advanced as is his ability to structure points.
Like some young players, his serve is not his strongest shot, but a work in progress.
Tien faces Alexander Zverev in Monday’s quarterfinal. He is 1-1 head-to-head against Zverev; Tien’s win came on the hardcourts of Acapulco. Zverev won their 2025 French Open match.
Iva Jovic
Jovic handled her business with her usual maturity well beyond her chronological years against Yulia Putinseva with a decisive 6-0, 6-1 win.
18 years old and into her first ever Grand Slam quarterfinal in style – Iva Jovic, everybody 👏😍@wwos • @espn • @tntsports • @wowowtennis • #AO26 pic.twitter.com/MaCSjonbet
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2026
The 2025 Guadalajara Open champion was flawless on Saturday night, and the 18-year-old will need the same skill and presence in her quarterfinal match against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Sabalenka defeated Canadian teen Victoria Mboko in straight sets but not before being pushed to a second set tiebreaker that Sabalenka won handily, marking her 20th straight tiebreak win in Grand Slams, a new record breaking Novak Djokovic’s previous accomplishment.
Jovic welcomes the opportunity to play Sabalenka to test her game against the best in the sport.
With Mboko’s loss and Mirra Andreeva’s straight set loss to Elina Svitolina, Jovic is the lone teenager left in the WTA draw. She is also the youngest Australian Open quarterfinalist since Venus Williams.
