Karen Khachanov booked his place in the US Open quarter-finals after defeating American rising star Learner Tien in a dramatic five-set battle at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
The Tien vs Khachanov clash lasted three hours and 50 minutes, with Khachanov eventually prevailing 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4. The victory sends the experienced 30-year-old into his seventh Grand Slam quarter-final.
Khachanov Survives Physical Battle With Tien
The match was a demanding test of endurance for Khachanov, who had struggled for results during the North American hard-court swing before arriving in New York.
The World No. 50 showed considerable resilience against Learner Tien, whose defensive skills repeatedly extended rallies and forced Khachanov to maintain a high level of intensity.
Khachanov took the opening set 7-5, but Tien responded strongly to level the match at one set apiece. The young American then edged a dramatic third-set tiebreak 8-6 to move within one set of a major upset.
Rather than allowing the momentum to disappear, Khachanov raised his level in the fourth set. He dominated the set 6-1 before producing another composed performance in the deciding set to complete the comeback.
Tien Pushes Khachanov to the Limit
The tien tennis story at the 2026 US Open has been one of the tournament’s notable talking points, and the 20-year-old again demonstrated why he is considered one of America’s promising young players.
Tien’s ability to defend from deep positions made life difficult for Khachanov. The Russian knew that he needed to remain patient and keep applying pressure rather than expecting quick points.
The statistics reflected the competitiveness of the encounter. Khachanov hit nine aces compared with eight from Tien, while both players won more than 70 percent of their first-serve points.
The crucial difference came on break-point opportunities. Khachanov converted nine of his 12 chances, while Tien converted five of 14.
Khachanov Finds Form at the Perfect Time
The victory is particularly significant for Khachanov Karen, who entered the final Grand Slam of the season after going 0-3 during this year’s North American hard-court swing.
Instead of allowing that difficult stretch to affect his confidence, Khachanov continued working on his fitness and preparation.
His persistence has now paid off in New York.
Khachanov said after the match that he had been getting fitter and practicing extensively, adding that his preparation was beginning to pay off.
The Russian previously reached the US Open semi-finals in 2022, and his latest run gives him another opportunity to challenge for a deep Grand Slam finish.
What Is Next for Karen Khachanov?
After overcoming Tien, Karen Khachanov will face 28th seed Alexander Blockx in the quarter-finals.
The victory over Tien could provide Khachanov with valuable confidence heading into the next round. He has already survived an extremely physical contest, and his ability to recover and maintain his level will be crucial.
For Tien, meanwhile, the defeat ends his hopes of becoming the youngest American men’s quarter-finalist at the US Open since Andy Roddick in 2002.
Despite the disappointment, his performance against Khachanov showed that he can compete with experienced Grand Slam contenders on one of tennis’ biggest stages.
Tien vs Khachanov Result
The final score in the Tien vs Khachanov US Open fourth-round match was:
Karen Khachanov defeated Learner Tien 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(6), 6-1, 6-4.
Khachanov’s combination of patience, fitness and big-match experience ultimately proved decisive, allowing him to survive a nearly four-hour battle and advance to the last eight.
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