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Roger Federer vs Marin Cilic, Australian Open 2018 final preview

January 27, 2018 23:35·
Who is Hyeon Chung?

Who is Hyeon Chung?

Federer plays fast-rising South Korean Chung Hyeon tomorrow for a place in the Melbourne Park final as he chases a 20th Grand Slam title.

Remarkably, he then saw off the six-time Australian Open champion in straight sets, before defeating Tennys Sandgren to reach the last four.

The Melbourne crowd at the Rod Laver Arena booed as Chung exited the court but Federer, 36, defended his 21-year-old opponent.

Regardless of Friday's result, Chung's rise to stardom is the most prominent storyline from the first Grand Slam of the year.

He added an eighth Wimbledon crown last summer and is now through to a record seventh Australian Open final having not dropped a set all fortnight.

The world No. 2 was in complete control, going a double-break up when an overexuberant Chung was off target with a forehand and fizzing a cross-court forehand victor past the youngster to take the opening set in just over half an hour.

But it came as a big surprise when the 21-year-old walked to the net at 30-30 and trailing 2-5 after 62 minutes in the second set to throw in the towel.

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Federer also believes Chung's future is bright, though he's hesitant to make predictions given what he experienced when he rose through the ranks, being labeled a future No. 1 and multiple Grand Slam victor at a young age. If physical resilience was going to be a factor it would surely swing the way of Chung, who said after outlasting the injured Novak Djokovic over three sets in the fourth round: "I could have played for another two hours". He's come a long way because he had some injury issues a couple years back. Clearly I was a bit lucky against Berdych in that first set.

"I've played with blisters in the past and it hurts a lot", Federer said in his on-court interview after the match.

Federer had been nearly flawless, toying with his inexperienced opponent and putting on a clinic which ended in anticlimactic fashion after only 62 minutes. "It ended up being the key of the match", Federer said on court.

"I would like to play against the player that I would beat in the final", Cilic said with a smirk. "It was the last thing I did, to make sure he was okay". To close it out, that was mighty impressive.

Chung's Australia Open run began with a match against Mischa Zverev, ranked number 35 in the world, who, citing a viral illness, withdrew in the first round, giving the former the win. "I knew I had to re-start".

It is not a trend we can expect Nadal's playing rival Roger Federer to replicate.

However, after evidently suffering from blisters during his tie against Roger Federer, Chung was forced to retire whilst 1-6, 2-5 down to the Swiss legend - putting an abrupt end to his breakthrough tournament. "I think he's going to be a great player". He has great composure, I think he is going to achieve next level excellence.

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