Number 7 seed Hyeon Chung beat Danil Medvedev in five sets 4-1 4-1 3-4 (4-7) 1-4 4-0 to set up a final against Andrey Rublev at the inaugural edition of the ATP Next Gen Finals.
Chung held serve in the first game on the deciding point, as Medvedev netted a forehand. The South Korean player broke serve at love in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and held his serve in the next game to win a one-sided opening set 4-1.
Chung got his first break of the second set on the deciding point in the third game to take a 2-1 lead, when Medvedev made a double fauult. Chung held his serve on the deciding point for 3-1 with another double fault from Medvedev. Chung got the double break at 30 to take the second set 4-1.
After winning the first two sets easily, Chung went up a break at 15 in the second game of the third set to open up a 2-0 lead. and looked to be cruising into the final against Rublev, who beat Borna Coric in the first semifinal. However, Medvedev broke back in the third game at 15, when Chung made a double fault.
Medvedev earned two set points at 6-4 in the tie-break and sealed it on the next point with an ace.
In the fourth set Chung broke at 30 in the first game, but Medvedev broke straight back, when Chung made a double fault. The Russian player earned his second break on the deciding point in the fourth game to win the fourth set by 4-1 forcing the match to the fifth set.
At 30-30 in the first game of the fifth set Medvedev was just two points from breaking serve but Chung managed to hold his serve. Chung converted his second break point in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. He rallied from 0-40 down to hold serve on the deciding point in the third game. As Medvedev served at 0-3 down, Chung earned a match point at 40-30 and converted it with a double break on the deciding point to win the fifth set 4-0.
“I had to stay calm. Just trying to stay calm and he was playing good, so I had to play the same as I did in the first and second set. I need rest because it’s already midnight, so I have to do my recovery first”, said Chung.
Chung beat Rublev 4-0 4-1 4-3 (7-1) in the Group A round robin match earlier this week and earlier this year in Winston Salem.
The South Korean player is still undefeated in the four matches played this week. He has become one of the crowd favourites at the Fiera Milano for his ability to show his fighting spirit in tough matches.
“I am really enjoying in Milan. I don’t know why I am playing so good here. I am just trying to enjoy it on the court and trying to play at 100 percent all the time. I am just playing better and better every day”.
Chung has enjoyed a solid season in which he won a career-best of 27 victories on tour and reached the semifinal in Munich, the quarter final in Barcelona and the third round at Roland Garros.
“I have done many good things so far this year. I have my first third round in a Grand Slam and my first semifinals in an ATP World Tour and I got to my highest ATP Ranking at world number 44”, said Chung.
