Learner Tien proved his grit at the Australian Open, even in defeat. The American, seeded 25th, marched into his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal to face the tournament’s third seed, Alexander Zverev. He fought hard, taking the second set off the German, but couldn’t hold the momentum. Tien eventually fell 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-6(3). Still, his perseverance shone through, but a reporter brought attention to something else.

The 20-year-old from Irvine, California, hit a new career peak by reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. It marked a big breakthrough and hinted at a huge year ahead. But after the match, Tien found himself facing an unusual question in the press room.

The reporter asked, “It’s been a big day for both you and Iva Jovic, who are the future of American tennis. It is also interesting that you’re both second-generation immigrants in the US. In the context of everything that’s happening with Trump and ICE, what does your heritage mean to you? And how important are immigrants to America and American sports today?”

Learner Tien paused, then replied, “Sorry, I don’t really want to talk about that right now.”

The question caught Tien off guard. Although with his rise through the ranks, the star has found the spotlight shining brighter than ever. After back-to-back runs at the Next Gen ATP Finals, he captured the 2025 title in December, right before stepping full-time onto the tour. That victory flipped his label from “promising prospect” to one of tennis’s hottest young names.

His 2025 season was pure lift-off. Starting the year at No. 122, he rocketed into the top 30 by late November, grabbing everyone’s attention. The breakthrough came in Asia with a deep run to the Beijing final, followed by Metz, where he lifted his first ATP title over Cameron Norrie. That win made him the youngest American teenager to clinch a Tour trophy since Andy Roddick nearly 20 years ago.

Although Learner chose not to answer the question, he isn’t alone in the situation. Fellow American stars also received similar queries during their press conferences. Earning some interesting responses.

American players asked similar questions to Learner Tien at the Australian Open

WTA’s Amanda Anisimova is making waves at the 2026 Australian Open, but not for her forehand this time. The American star grabbed headlines after refusing to join the media frenzy aimed at President Donald Trump’s administration.

During a press conference, a reporter asked how it feels to “play under the American flag right now,” hinting at the political climate back home. Anisimova cut the discussion short with a calm but clear reply: “I don’t think that’s relevant.”

The question didn’t stay buried for long. After her 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Wang Xinyu, a reporter circled back, bringing up one of her deleted tweets and the noise online. Anisimova didn’t shy away. “I feel like the internet, it’s tough,” she admitted, opening up about handling all the off-court chatter.

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“It comes with the job, which is something I’ve learned to get used to. There are definitely days where it bothers me a little bit, and I tell myself it’s OK to get upset or frustrated, ’cause at the end of the day, I’m human. It can be pretty difficult but it’s not worth so much of my energy and time, and that’s something that I’ve learned to get used to,” said the 24-year-old, showing a mix of maturity and honesty often rare in press rooms.

Taylor Fritz wasn’t spared the political curveball either. The World No. 5 faced a similar question about representing the U.S. and just sighed before responding.

He said, “I mean, not sure what we’re like specifically talking about, but there is a lot going on in the U.S., and I don’t know. I feel like whatever I say here is going to get put in a headline, and it’s going to get taken out of context. So, I’d really rather not do something that’s going to cause a big distraction for me in the middle of the tournament.”

Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Madison Keys got the same line of questioning. Gauff, always poised and thoughtful, handled it with her trademark grace. “I hope forward that we can have a lot more peace in our country and more kindness in the way we speak to each other about different topics & things like that,” said the 21-year-old.

Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula echoed similar thoughts. After her second-round win, Keys stayed measured but firm in her beliefs.

“I think my stance has been pretty obvious. I think it’s pretty obvious where I stand, and I am hopeful that we as a country can come together and get back to the values that I think make our country great,” said the reigning Australian Open champion.

As the Australian Open charges into its semifinal stage, the spotlight is burning brighter on the remaining three Americans in the main draw. While Learner Tien didn’t get the dreamrun he’d hoped for, who knows what he might come back with next? What do you think?