S. Korean Chung Hyeon loses tough second-round match at U.S. Open

Chung Hyeon / Yonhap

South Korean teenager Chung Hyeon held his own before succumbing against a two-time grand slam winner at the U.S. Open tennis championship in New York on Thursday.

Fifth-seeded Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland knocked off Chung 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 7-6(6) in the second round at the season's final major. Wawrinka, the reigning French Open champion, scored 26 aces and ripped 62 winners, though Chung did his part with 28 winners against the world No. 5 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Big Apple.

Two days earlier, Chung ousted James Duckworth in straight sets to become the first South Korean to win a grand slam singles match in seven years.

Wawrinka, the highest-ranked opponent Chung has faced, broke the South Korean in the early going and led 3-0. The 19-year-old, however, fought back to take three consecutive games. At 3-3, Chung held a double break point at 15-40 before allowing Wawrinka to recover and take the game. When the two were tied at 4-4, Chung again fell shy of breaking Wawrinka, who survived a 30-40 deficit with three straight aces.

Chung led 4-1 in the second set but had no answers against Wawrinka's serves. The Swiss pulled into a 4-4 tie and beat the South Korean in a tiebreak.

Another tiebreak loomed in the third set, as Wawrinka closed out the three-hour match over the fatigued opponent who was treated for leg cramps in late stretches.

Chung said he could put behind the disappointment of the loss, since he'd accomplished the goals he'd set for himself.

"Before the match, I wanted to pour out my last ounce of energy and play each set for an hour," he said. "I didn't want to back down so easily against a strong opponent. I think I stood my ground against Wawrinka because I kept each set going for an hour. But during the match, I just didn't have the presence of mind to think of anything."

Chung said it was "a fun experience" to have led Wawrinka 3-0 to open the second set, though he ultimately lost the set.

"Now that I've played him, I can see why he's the No. 5 player in the world; he does everything so well," Chung added. "I felt pressure whenever I served, because I thought I'd have little chance of winning if I couldn't hold my serves against a player like that."

Serves have long been Chung's Achilles' heel. While Wawrinka pounded 26 aces, Chung only managed three.

"If I'd been good enough to score aces against Wawrinka from the start, I probably would have won the match," Chung said with a smile. "I am still trying to improve my serves. It can be intimidating and nerve-wracking to face a top-10 player, but it's something I have to overcome eventually. I am glad I got my lesson early."

Wawrinka said he saw plenty of promise in his second-round opponent.

"He's a really good player. Was a tough match today," he said. "He's moving well. He's a great fighter. He always tried to give you more balls to play or always tried to find a solution. He's playing well from the baseline. He can be really good, for sure. He's young and already playing well. He has a long way to go. You have to see how he's going to practice, improve, how he's going to work." (Yonhap)