Sports
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.
Updated : Jan 22, 2018, 05:50 PM IST
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 favourite to reach the semis with unseeded American Tennys Sandgren up next.
"I didn't know how I'd win tonight. I was just honoured 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. 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.
The 6x against the gritty youngster.
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
We're just about ready to go between @DjokerNole and Hyeon #Chung. Who have you got? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/cVZn6DaiTn
#Chung off to a handy start!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
First break. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ZJtWV7PTAc
Return to sender #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/LoStViaVqX
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
#Chung is on
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Certainly not overwhelmed by the occasion.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/DZUdmeojFS
.@DjokerNole breaks back!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
We're all tied up in the first set - 5-5#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/rNpD41fDhP
What a performance thus far from the young star!#Chung takes the first set 7-6(4)#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/qFwdsMsFXg
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Some intense rallying going on between the pair on @RodLaverArena!#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/V7tm103pAQ
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Running out of words to describe these #Chung winners...
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
He leads 2- early in the second set.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/D4iLqALp0F
.@DjokerNole's troublesome elbow causing a little concern for the x champ...#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/UGEGpHyrlK
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Just another #Chung special... #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/SHxnKnLNso
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
.@DjokerNole must feel like he's playing a mirror-image of himself...
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Hyeon #Chung takes the second set 7-5! #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/R7096NJsrw
This match has had EVERYTHING!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
@DjokerNole#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/ZGiTl7U2su
No player in #AusOpen blue court history has ever led @DjokerNole two sets to love
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Can the x champion mount a comeback on @RodLaverArena? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/OSznfOmc5U
This man is just something else tonight... #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/7gNoUfWegw
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Wow... #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/efZ76ZjJda
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
INCREDIBLE!
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
Hyeon #Chung becomes the first Korean player in history - man or woman - to reach the QF at a Grand Slam.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/R67I9fLEmn
"When I was young I just tried to copy Novak (Djokovic) because he was my idol."
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 22, 2018
- Hyeon #Chung #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/zeyAjA6Rx0
(Inputs from Reuters)