Chung
stuns Djokovic in Australian Open
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[January 22, 2018]
By Martyn Herman
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Six-times
champion Novak Djokovic bowed out of the Australian Open in the
fourth round as relentless South Korean Chung Hyeon ground him down
to claim a stunning 7-6(4) 7-5 7-6(3) victory on Monday.
The 21-year-old Chung, ranked 58th in the world, proved an immovable
object, absorbing everything the former world number one could throw
at him and returning it with interest.
Two years after losing in straight sets to Djokovic on the same Rod
Laver Arena, the bespectacled Chung turned the tables to claim the
biggest victory of his career.
He is also the first South Korean to reach a grand slam
quarter-final and will be favorite to reach the semis with unseeded
American Tennys Sandgren up next.
"I didn't know how I'd win tonight. I was just honored to play
against Novak and happy to see him back on the Tour," Chung said on
court as his compatriots cheered in the stands.
"I try to copy Novak in the way I play, he is my idol."
Djokovic wore a compression sleeve on his serving arm, a legacy of
the elbow injury that sidelined him last year.
The Serb grimaced occasionally and needed treatment on his feet
after losing the first set.
"Congratulations to Chung on an amazing performance," the 12-times
grand slam champion said.
"He deserved to win. Whenever he was in trouble he came out with
some great passing shots and at the back of the court he was like a
wall."
Djokovic made a dreadful start as a spate of double-faults cost him
his first two service games and he trailed 4-0.
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Chung Hyeon of South Korea shakes hands with Novak Djokovic of
Serbia after Chung won their match. REUTERS/Issei Kato
He clawed back the deficit but Chung took the opening set on the
tiebreak.
Chung moved 4-1 ahead in the second set but again Djokovic
recovered, only to falter when serving at 5-6, netting a forehand on
set point after Chung had shown incredible defensive skills to stay
alive in the rally.
Djokovic battled back from a break down in the third but he
inexplicably put an angled volley out when he had break point on the
Chung serve at 3-3.
Chung saw a 3-0 lead disappear in the night's second tiebreak but he
refused to let Djokovic off the hook.
He showed miraculous court coverage to hook a mind-boggling forehand
winner past Djokovic to take a 5-3 lead in the tiebreak and when
Djokovic netted a return it brought up three match points.
One was enough as Djokovic hit a backhand into the tramlines.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond)
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