Melbourne, Jan 27 (NationPress) Alexander Zverev advanced to his third consecutive Australian Open semifinal on Tuesday, putting an end to the impressive journey of young American talent Learner Tien with a victory inside the closed roof of Rod Laver Arena.

The German player reached his 10th Grand Slam semifinal at the expense of the 25th seed, winning with scores of 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-6(3). This victory sets up a highly anticipated showdown against either world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz or Australia's Alex de Minaur.

The world No. 3 relied significantly on his serve, delivering a remarkable 24 aces while successfully saving all three break points he faced, each with unreturned serves. One of those crucial serves came at 5-6 during the fourth set, denying Tien the opportunity to push for a decisive fifth set. Zverev also dominated shorter exchanges, winning 106 out of the 0–4 shot rallies compared to Tien’s 68.

“The learner from the baseline was playing unbelievably. I don't think I've played anyone who plays that well from the baseline for a very long time. Without my [24] aces, I probably would not have won today. I'm obviously very happy with my serve, just generally happy to be back in the semis,” Zverev remarked about the 20-year-old after the match, eliciting a warm response from the audience.

Tien, the 25th seed, entered the match with great confidence following his stunning victory over Daniil Medvedev in the fourth round. He demonstrated resilience by overcoming a 3–5 deficit in the second-set tie-break. Although this surge temporarily shifted momentum, Zverev quickly regained control with another dominant serving performance, racing through the third set.

While Tien excelled in longer rallies, utilizing sharp angles and consistency rather than sheer power, Zverev’s ability to earn easy points on his serve continually kept the American on the back foot. These free points allowed the German to play freely during return games and dictate the match's tempo.

Zverev ultimately clinched the victory in a tight fourth-set tie-break, jumping to a 6–0 lead before a rare double fault added a moment of late drama. This brief hiccup was merely a minor setback, as he closed out the match, marking his 10th Grand Slam semifinal and first since the previous year’s Australian Open.

Despite finishing the 2025 season ranked No. 3, Zverev had previously described that year as “incredibly unsatisfying” after securing only one title in Munich. However, his performance in Melbourne, highlighted by recent wins over Francisco Cerúndolo and Tien—both of whom defeated him last season—indicates a player who is once again reaching his demanding standards.