DJOKOVIC BOWS OUT OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN
RELENTLESS SOUTH KOREAN CHUNG HYEON BEATS SIXTIME CHAMP
MELBOURNE: Six-time 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.
Djokovic, grimacing occasionally and flexing his elbow, dropped the opening four games and although he clawed back the deficit 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.
Again Djokovic battled back from a break down in the third set to force a tiebreak but Chung refused to let the 30-year-old Serb off the hook.
Chung hooked 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 into the tramlines.
Chung will face unseeded American Tennys Sandgren for a place in the semi-finals.
FEDERER, KERBER WIN
Ice-cool Roger Federer roared into an Australian Open quarterfinal with Tomas Berdych today as former champion Angelique Kerber stuttered into an enticing clash with Madison Keys.
The defending champion swatted aside one-time training partner Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to make the last eight for an incredible 14th time.
The Swiss maestro, 36, has made at least the last eight every year since 2004, bar a hiccup in 2015.
“He played very well,” the 19-time Grand Slam champion said of the Hungarian. “You needed to have quick ideas and execute well today.”
Second seed Federer will now play fellow veteran Berdych, a semi-finalist in 2014 and 2015 at his most successful major, who demolished Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. The 32-year-old, who is on his way back from back problems, lost to the five-time Australian champion in the third round last year and the odds are heavily stacked again him.
Of the 13 quarter-finals Federer has contested in Melbourne, he has won the lot.
“I have no choice to choose the opponent and may the better man win,” said the 19th seeded Czech.
“I am going to get myself ready, it’s all I can do, and prepare the best I can.”
Germany’s Kerber is the only Grand Slam champion left among the women, and she was given a big fright as she chases her second Melbourne Park crown after beating Serena Williams in 2016.