By Chris Oddo | Saturday January 20, 2018
Hyeon Chung pulled the biggest upset of Day 6 and notched the first Top 5 win of his career to reach the second week.
Photo Source: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Alexander Zverev’s struggles at the Grand Slam level continued at the expense of South Korea’s Hyeon Chung on Saturday in Melbourne. The World No. 58 battled from a set down twice then absolutely dominated the No.4 seed in the decider to clinch his first ever Top 5 win, 5-7, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.
Zverev fell to 0-2 against Chung and 3-5 lifetime in five-setters, while Chung reaches the second week at a major for the first time with his third career five-set win in five such matches.
After taking a two sets to one lead, Zverev was only able to win three more games, and in a dispiriting final set he won just five points against Chung, who attacked relentlessly while a passive Zverev mostly spectated.
“I think the match was very high level,” Zverev said. “I don't think it was bad at all. Even in the fourth set, you know, after I lost my serve, I think I still played well. I still had chances to break him back. Then in the fifth set, I mean, went so fast that I didn't really have time to realize what was happening.”
The Loss is particularly disappointing for Zverev because he has had so much success at all levels but the Grand Slams. He won two Masters 1000 titles last season and five titles, and is thought of by many as a future No.1 and potential multiple Grand Slam winner.
Those lofty goals may be achieved by the talented German, but he admits at the moment that he needs to find a missing ingredient. “I have some figuring out to do, what happens to me in deciding moments in Grand Slam. It happened at Wimbledon. It happened in New York. It happened here. I'm still young, so I got time. I definitely have some figuring out to do for myself.
Chung has been tabbed as a rising star for years but he has been relatively under the radar compared to the fanfare surrounding the German. He reached a career-high 44 in the ATP rankings last year, and enters the Australian Open at No.58.
That spotlight should get brighter on the young Korean in the next few days. He becomes the first Korean male to reach the second week at the Australian Open and he’ll face either Novak Djokovic or Albert Ramos-Vinolas for a spot in the quarterfinals on Saturday.