Hyeon Chung, 21, became the first Korean to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, at the Australian Open, by defeating Serbian Novak Djokovic, six-time champion of this tournament, played this time in the right elbow, by 7-6 (4), 7-5 and 7-6 (3).
On his official return to the circuit after six months away from the tracks, Djokovic’s right elbow could not perform at its best, or at least, Djokovic showed that on the track. The Belgrade player, who had defeated American Donald Young, Frenchman Gael Monfils and Spanish Albert Ramos in previous rounds, without showing any sign of discomfort, did show that he was touched this time.
The first champion of the New Generation Masters, played in Milan last year, completed a masterful match. It started with two blows: 4-0 in the first set and 3-0 in the second, with Djokovic, now fourteenth in the world rankings, lamenting his misfortune with clear signs that his arm was unresponsive.
The physio went to the court to massage the area at the end of the first set, and ‘Nole’ tried to shorten the points, but his 950th match as a professional had an unfortunate end for the Serbian, who endured as best he could until he succumbed in three hours and 21 minutes.
Two seasons ago, and on these same courts, Djokovic had beaten Chung, but this year the Korean is a more solid player although he retains the same coldness from his beginnings. These days he has been able to beat German Alexander Zverev, world number four, and Djokovic, dealing master strokes.
The Serbian aspired to reach the quarters in Melbourne for the tenth time in his career and join the Swede Stefan Edberg and the Spaniard Rafael Nadal in that mark. His defeat is reminiscent of last year in the second round against Uzbek Dennis Istomin, his most premature departure from a great since Wimbledon 2008, when he fell to Russian Marat Safin in three sets.
Chung will face in the quarterfinals against another of the new faces in this Grand Slam, the American Tennys Sandgren, 97 of the world, 26 years old, the lowest ranking that remains in the table, who beat the Austrian Dominic Thiem, fifth head series, by 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (9), and 6-3, in three hours and 54 minutes.
For Sandgren it will also be his first time in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam. Thus, the first great of the season ensures a rookie in the semifinals. EFE.
Korean Chung eliminates Australia’s Djokovic
