Lob and Smash
Fansided

Hyeon Chung: dream run comes to an end at AusOpen

By Harry Floyd

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: Roger Federer of Switzerland consoles Hyeon Chung of South Korea after Chung retired injured due to a blistered foot in their semi-final match against on day 12 of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 26: Roger Federer of Switzerland consoles Hyeon Chung of South Korea after Chung retired injured due to a blistered foot in their semi-final match against on day 12 of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 26, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Hyeon Chung has been ousted by defending champion Roger Federer. The young South Korean’s dream run comes to an end in Melbourne.

Hyeon Chung had a run he could never have dreamed of this year at the 2018 Australian Open. The young up and coming tennis star reached the semifinals at the Grand Slam.

Falling to defending champion and world No. 2 Roger Federer, Chung is now out of the action at Melbourne Park. Federer advances and will face sixth seeded Marin Cilic for a chance at his 20th career Grand Slam singles title.

More from Lob and Smash

Federer defeats Chung 6-1 5-2, 30-30 as the young tennis star retires due to injury during the second set. A blister on his left foot proved to be too much. Players understand the difficulty of playing through blisters. Federer acknowledged Chung’s fantastic effort throughout his entire time at the Australian Open.

Some marquee wins for the South Korean included those over both Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic. He took down the six-time Australian champion Djokovic in straight sets during the fourth round of play. Chung is not going anywhere anytime soon. His strong year in 2017 has carried right over into the 2018 ATP World Tour. He is without a doubt a player to watch for the remainder of the year.

As for Roger Federer, he looks to add a 20th Grand Slam win.

Cilic is fresh off of wins over both top seeded Rafael Nadal and British No. 2 Kyle Edmund. He meets Federer for a chance at his first ever title at Melbourne Park. Cilic is, however, a former US Open champion in men’s singles. He has the experience necessary to put the Swiss great to the test. Federer does remain perfect at the Australian Open though. The world No. 2 is still yet to drop a single set so far at the major tournament.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

Look for Federer to be the favorite in the finals but do not discount Cilic. His strong play this month has set him up nicely to challenge the world No. 2. If anyone can take down the Swiss great, it is a player with veteran experience such as Cilic. Action goes down this weekend at Melbourne Park. Stay tuned to see how the 2018 Australian Open concludes on the men’s singles side and check back for updates on Hyeon Chung as he continues his 2018 ATP World Tour.

Home/ATP