Tien & Williams win 2023 Australian Open boys' doubles title; Tien runner-up in singles

Learner Tien and Cooper Williams continued the recent tradition of American junior success at the Australian Open by winning the boys' doubles title on Friday in Melbourne. One day later, Tien came within two points of completing a trophy sweep, but ultimately collected the runner-up plate for his efforts in the singles event.

In the doubles final, Tien and Williams defeated top seeds Alexander Blockx and Joao Fonseca, 6-4, 6-4, with both Americans earning their maiden Grand Slam crown. Blockx was also across the net from Tien in the singles title match, which the third-seeded Belgian won by a 6-1, 2-6, 7-6(9) scoreline in Rod Laver Arena.

The thrilling singles final was decided by a 10-point tiebreak that was knotted at 9-9 before the third-seeded Blockx won the final two points.

Tien enjoyed the better of the final set, creating the only four break points in the decider. But the unseeded American fell just short in the breaker, saving two match points before Block converted his third chance with a big serve.

Unseeded in Melbourne, 2022 USTA Boys' 18s national champion Tien reached the final with the loss of just one set, losing just 24 games; that run included a 6-0, 6-3 opening win over No. 7 seed Hayato Matsuoka of Japan, and a 6-0, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over second-seeded Bulgarian Iliyan Radulov in just 40 minutes. He came from a set down in his Round 2 win over Italy's Federico Cina.