5 biggest upsets of 2025 ft. Learner Tien def. Daniil Medvedev, Alexandra Eala def. Iga Swiatek

The 2025 season witnessed the rise of many young talents, notably Learner Tien, Mirra Andreeva, Victoria Mboko, and Joao Fonseca, among others. They left quite an impression despite the continued dominance of the tour's big guns, such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek.

Even though the tour's big names shared most of the biggest trophies amongst themselves, they weren't completely invincible. They all tasted an occasional defeat, either from a young upstart or a player they previously owned in terms of head-to-head.

The 2025 season witnessed its fair share of upsets, though a few matches stand apart from the rest. Here's a look at five of the biggest upsets of the 2025 season:

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#5. Learner Tien def. Daniil Medvedev

Following a successful career as a junior in 2023, Learner Tien turned his attention to the Challenger circuit in 2024. He also participated in a couple of ATP tournaments that year as well. He devoted himself to making his breakthrough on the main tour in 2025, and didn't have to wait too long for it.

Tien came through the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open to make his main draw debut in Melbourne. He beat Camilo Ugo Carabelli in five sets for his maiden Grand Slam win. He was up against fifth seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round.

Medvedev had made the finals in Melbourne three times in the past four years, so no one expected Tien to pose a significant threat to him. However, the American took a two-set lead, putting himself on the brink of a massive upset.

Medvedev fought back to take the next two sets. Everyone expected him to steamroll his younger rival in the deciding set. Tien had a few more tricks up his sleeve, and sneaked past the Russian in the tie-break to score the biggest win of his career at that point. The win put Tien on the map, and he eventually finished his first full season on the tour ranked No. 28.

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#4. Zheng Qinwen def. Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen at the Italian Open 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka hit a purple patch starting from March 2025. She reached four consecutive finals, winning two of them. She reigned supreme at the WTA 1000 events in Miami and Madrid, while coming up short in the Indian Wells and Stuttgart finals.

Sabalenka arrived at the Italian Open on the heels of her third title in Madrid. She extended her unbeaten run to nine matches by reaching the quarterfinals, where she faced familiar foe, Zheng Qinwen.

Sabalenka won all six of their previous matches, including five of them in straight sets. However, Zheng was prepared for her this time, and put an end to her losing skid with a 6-4, 6-3 win. It marked her second win over a reigning No. 1 player, following her triumph over Iga Swiatek at the Paris Olympics.

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#3. Alexandra Eala def. Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek gained a reputation of crushing lower-ranked opponents thanks to her consistent results against them. Prior to the Miami Open 2025, she had extended her record against players ranked outside the top 100 to 46-1, with her only loss coming in Miami four years ago.

So when Swiatek faced Alexandra Eala, ranked No. 140, in the Miami quarterfinals this year, another routine win was expected in the Pole's favor despite Eala's form. The latter had beaten the likes of Jelena Ostapenko and Madison Keys to make the last eight.

Swiatek's consistency usually makes her immune to the wiles of lower-ranked players. That wasn't the case this time, and Eala pulled off a stunning 6-2, 7-5 win. It marked Swiatek's second loss against a player outside the top 100 this decade. Eala, meanwhile, created history by becoming the first player from her country to make the semifinals of a WTA 1000 tournament.

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#2. Laura Siegemund def. Madison Keys

Madison Keys and Laura Siegemund at Wimbledon 2025. (Photo: Getty)

After years of near-misses, Madison Keys finally tasted Grand Slam glory for the first time at this year's Australian Open. Following a quarterfinal exit from the French Open, she was pegged to make a deep run at Wimbledon as well.

After a tougher opener against Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Keys dispatched Olga Danilovic in straight sets. She booked a third-round date with veteran Laura Siegemund, who advanced to this stage at the All England Club for the first time in her career.

Their previous meeting also took place at Wimbledon, albeit eight years ago. Keys conceded only four games back then. However, her power-packed game was no match for Siegemund's craftiness on this occasion. The German easily picked apart Keys' game to beat her 6-3, 6-3, and eventually lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.

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#1. Cameron Norrie def. Carlos Alcaraz

Following a surprising second-round exit from the Miami Open, Carlos Alcaraz went on a tear. He reached the final of every tournament he contested for the next six months, eventually claiming seven titles from nine finals. He arrived at the Paris Masters seeking his fourth consecutive title.

After a first-round bye, Alcaraz took on Cameron Norrie in the second round. The latter had given him trouble in the past, though he hadn't been at his best on a consistent basis in 2025. He also had a 1-10 record against top 10 players since the start of 2024.

Given Alcaraz's form, a routine win over Norrie was the expected outcome, especially after he clinched the first set. The Brit had other ideas, and came roaring back to score a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 upset win. It marked his first win over a World No. 1. The loss didn't have much of an impact on Alcaraz, and he reached the final of his next tournament.

Edited by Rohit