Hyeon Chung has made history as the first South Korean player to reach the quarter finals in a Grand Slam tournament after taking an upset win against his idol Novak Djokovic. Chung watched Djokovic on television for the first time, when the Serbian star won the first of his six titles in the “Happy Slam” at Melbourne Park. Djokovic beat Chung in their only previous head-to-head match when they met in the first round at the 2016 Australian Open.
Chung started playing tennis when he was six with his parents and continued to play after his doctor recommended that looking at the colour green would help his weak eyesight. His father Seok-Jin was a tennis player and now is a tennis coach. Chung looked up to Djokovic because of his fantastic game and mental strength.
“Novak, Roger and Rafa are all my role models, my idols. I am just happy to play with Novak again. I am just honoured to see him again on the tour. Today my dreams come true. When I was young, I was just trying to copy him. He plays well on the baseline and is strong mentally”
He admitted that he hoped to get a photo with his hero at some stage after putting a picture with Rafa Nadal in the album.
“Maybe I want to take a picture one day. I have taken a picture with Rafa last year. So one by one”.
During the match against Djokovic Chung admitted during his interview with Jim Courier that he always felt confident even when Djokovic rallied from 0-3 to draw level to 3-3 in the tie-break.
“I am just 2-0 up on sets and if I lose I have a chance in two more sets so I am ready to play two more hours”, said Chung.
The 21-year-old South Korean player has admitted during the post-match press conference that his win against Andrey Rublev in the title match at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Milan has boosted his confidence for the 2018 season. After his triumph in Milan Chung travelled to Bangkok to train under the guidance of his coach Neville Godwin in similar hot conditions to those he found in Melbourne. Before beating Djokovic, Chung beat Next Gen Alexander Zverev in five sets taking a bagel win in the final set after winning 14 of the 17 points he played from the baseline.
“I really had a good finish to the season after Milan. I started this season really happy in terms of confidence and I am comfortable. I had a lot of injuries in the past every year. I think that’s the point. I am just trying to play without injuries”.
In a quarter final that few would have predicted on the eve of the Australian Open, Chung will face US surprise Tennys Sandgren, who upset Dominic Thiem in five sets. Chung beat Sandgren in their only previous head-to-head match two weeks ago in Auckland.
“I am just trying to focus every day, every time, every moment in Grand Slam. I am happy to stay on court in a big stadium in front of really good fans. I am just happy to stay there. Sandgren is a really good player. He made his first quarter final like me. I am just ready for him. I played him before once. We know how to play each other. I have to be ready”.
Chung hopes that his results will contribute to make tennis more popular in South Korea.
“I think tennis is coming up after this win. The biggest sport in Korea are baseball, football, ice skating because of the Olympic Games in Pyengchang. Hopefully tennis is number 5 tonight”.
