By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Photo credit: Australian Open Facebook
Serving strikes and stress management propelled Alexander Zverev to the Australian Open final four.
Riding a commanding serve and crunching groundstrokes Zverev topped 20-year-old Learner Tien 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-6(3) in an entertaining match to rise to his 10th career Grand Slam semifinal.
Zverev, who saved a set point at 5-6 in the fourth set, joins 10-time AO champion Novak Djokovic as the second active man to reach 10 major semifinals.
“Learner, from the baseline, was playing unbelievable,” Zverev told Christopher Eubanks in his on-court interview. “I don’t think I played anyone who plays that well from the baseline for a very, very long time.
“I don’t know what [coach] Michael Chang has done with him in the off season, but the way he is playing is incredible. Without my 20 aces, I probably wouldn’t have won today. Honestly, I’m very happy with my serves and just genuinely happy to be back in the semis.”
The 2025 AO finalist Zverev will play either world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or sixth-seeded Aussie Alex de Minaur for a spot in Sunday’s final.
Bidding to become the youngest man since Richard Krajicek in 1992 to advance to the AO final four, Tien seemed to struggle physically in the early stages of the fourth set. Yet the 25th-seeded American regained his strength and rallied to earn a break point and set point on Zverev’s serve while up 6-5 in the fourth set. Zverev slammed a serve winner out wide, sparking a streak of nine straight points that saw him snatch a 6-0 tiebreaker lead before closing on his third match point.
Grand Slam quarterfinal debutant Tien dismantled three-time AO finalist Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round, but could not crack the code of Zverev’s serve today.
The third-seeded Zverev zapped 24 aces against one double fault, served 72 percent and saved all three break points he faced continuing his streak of service games held. Zverev said the serve—and the first strike after the serve—were key components to advance to his fourth AO semifinal.
“I think what makes a big difference between the best two players—Jannik and Carlos—is the first shot after the serve,” Zverev said. “They don’t let you get into the rally.”
Zverev nullified rallies on pivotal points.
Facing a break point down 3-4 in the second set, Zverev erased it with an ace down the T. Winning a physical 23-shot rally brought the German game point. Zverev tamed trouble with a two-ace game to level the second set after eight games.
Deadlocked at deuce, Zverev ran down a poor drop shot, had a clear look at the open court, but completely botched his reply. Tien took the gift and held for 5-4.
Twice, Tien was two points from the set on Zverev’s serve, but the former Olympic gold-medal champion delivered a two-ace game holding to force the second-set tiebreaker.
The third seed was up a minibreak twice–at 4-2 and 5-3—but with a two-set lead on his racquet, Zverev blinked.
Deadlocked at 5-all, Zverev swooped inside the service line and lashed a backhand drive volley, but did not do enough. Tien read the shot and spun a forehand pass winner down the line for set point at 6-5.
Running around his backhand, Tien drilled a diagonal forehand winner snatching the second set after one hours, 42 minutes.
Resetting after a demoralizing end to the second set, Zverev exploited a couple of Tien double faults then rammed a return right down the line scoring the second break of the match for a 3-1 third-set lead.
Throwing down some thunderous first serves, Zverev stamped his 20th consecutive hold of the tournament stretching his lead to 4-1. Zverev broke at 15 earning the double break for 5-1 after two hours, six minutes.
Rapping a forehand strike down the line, Zverev wrapped up the 28-minute third set winning 12 of the last 15 points and his fifth consecutive game.
Across the net, the left-handed American was shaking out his left arm between points at times. Tien faced break point pressure in the fifth game but dotted the corner of the box with first serves holding for 3-2.
Tien held at 15 for 6-5.
Coach Michael Chang exhorted his charge saying “Make him think” before Zverev served the 12th game. When Zverev netted a backhand, Tien had set point at 30-40.
Zverev, who had saved two prior break points with aces down the T, whipped the wide serve then came up big at net.
A lunging backhand stab volley followed by a drop shot and backhand volley winner forced the tiebreaker after three hours, three minutes.
Playing a first-rate fourth-set breaker, Zverev slashed an ace down the T for 3-0 then blasted a backhand winner down the line for 5-0.
On his third match point, Zverev closed the three hour, 10-minute match on a Tien error.
