South Korean president Moon Jae-in has backed Chung Hyeon to bring more joy to his country after the youngster's inspired charge at the Australian Open came to a heart-breaking end in the semi-finals on Friday.
South Korea's Chung Hyeon said he hopes the shot clock being tested out at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan will become a regular feature on the Tour because it allows him to clean his spectacles without worrying.
Defending champion Roger Federer argued with an umpire but mostly let his racket do the talking as he beat Tomas Berdych for the ninth time running to reach the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday.
The fighting spirit that propelled Chung Hyeon to the Australian Open semi-finals went missing on Friday as the South Korean trailblazer cut short his much-anticipated clash with Roger Federer after suffering foot blisters.
In fact, barring 2014 when Stan Wawrinka won the title, no player apart from the quartet has even been involved in the men's final at Melbourne Park since 2008.
The absence of Japan's Kei Nishikori from this year's Australian Open has turned the spotlight on Chung Hyeon as Asia waits for its first men's Grand Slam singles champion.
An All-Asian tie that catches the eye is rarer than a bottle of Australian wine at Roland Garros but Kei Nishikori's clash with Chung Hyeon in the third round of the French Open could be one to savour.
Nightmares loom for players dreaming of Grand Slam success if they have the misfortune of running into bespectacled bogeyman Chung Hyeon in coming years, according to his coach Neville Godwin.
Images from the matches played on Day eight of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Monday
The 36-year-old was all over the world number 58 throughout a one-sided contest under the Rod Laver Arena roof, breaking three times to win the opening set in 33 minutes.
The Australian Open will lose one of its giant killers when South Korean Chung Hyeon meets American Tennys Sandgren in an unlikely quarter-final showdown at the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday.
Djokovic, who has ruled like no other on Rod Laver Arena simply had no answer as Chung, nine years his junior, wore him into the ground to win.
Chung is being touted as the next Djokovic because of his relentless defensive skills.
Rafael Nadal survived a difficult start to see off Chung Hyeon of South Korea in straight sets and reach the semi-finals of the Barcelona Open for a 10th time on Friday.
South Korean Chung Hyeon managed to hang around against Roger Federer a little longer this time around, but only just, as the Swiss maestro advanced to the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open 7-5, 6-1 on Thursday.
An angry Tennys Sandgren slammed journalists for "demonising" him with "sensationalist" reporting on his social media links to right-wing activists but said the controversy had not affected him during his Australian Open quarter-final loss to South Korea's Chung Hyeon.
Lee Jae-myung's decisive victory in South Korea's snap presidential election marks a major political shift driven by public backlash against authoritarian, with significant implications for domestic reform and the future of the US-South Korea alliance, observes Dr Rajaram Panda.
Federer welcomed the emergence of new challengers
Novak Djokovic said he would have to reassess the way forward for his injured elbow after it flared up again during his shock defeat by Chung Hyeon at the Australian Open on Monday.
South Korean tennis player Hyeon Chung will be a star attraction at the second edition of Tata Open Maharashtra beginning in December.
IMAGES from the matches played at Miami Miasters in Key Biscayne, Florida, on Wednesday
Sania, the country's finest woman doubles player, who began the year with the number one ranking, closed it at number 9.
The 32-year-old, who was ousted in the fourth round at the All England Club last year, will play ATP NextGen Finals winner Chung Hyeon on Wednesday and Frenchman Lucas Pouille, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2016, on Friday.
Wildcard Jannik Sinner completed a dream run when he beat top-seeded Alex de Minaur to win the final of the Next Gen tournament for the season's best Under-21 players on Saturday.
Novak Djokovic crashed to his first defeat of the season with a stunning 6-4, 6-4 loss to Alex de Minaur.
Korean qualifier Hyeon Chung produced the first upset of the ATP Chennai Open by ousting last year's finalist Borna Coric with a straight-set win in the opening round of the $505730 hard court event in Chennai on Monday.
Meet Olympic silver medalist Mathias Boe.
Halep through but Stephens exits in Cincinnati
Look who we spotted at the Melbourne Park this year.
Take a look at six of the up-and-comers who could upset the top names at the year's first Grand Slam.
Former world number two Tommy Haas officially announced his retirement from tennis at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Thursday, ending a career that spanned more than two decades.
IMAGES from the Australian Open Men's semi-finals played on Friday.
Simona Halep's powers of recovery will be put to the test on day eight of the Australian Open on Monday when the world number one meets Japan's Naomi Osaka in a tricky fourth round clash.
The Australian Open men's singles final offers a rematch of the dramatic 2021 French Open final, in which Djokovic came back from two sets down to snatch the title and leave Greek Tsitsipas heartbroken.
World No 55 Haase improved to a 2-2 career record against Zverev, including victories in their last two meetings.
IMAGES from the matches played at the PNB Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Wednesday
A family holiday in the Maldives might seem a good time for Roger Federer to put the racket down, but the Swiss master could not resist the offer of a hit when he found out Marin Cilic was also relaxing in the islands.
Rafael Nadal saw off Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-1, 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Barcelona Open, while Andy Murray advanced after opponent Bernard Tomic withdrew.
Kyle Edmund has the most destructive forehand in tennis and it can power him into the world's top 10, according to three-times Australian Open champion Mats Wilander.
Roger Federer cruised to a 6-4, 6-4 win over Peter Gojowczyk in his first appearance since losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
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