Chung to bounce back after injury-plagued 2018

Korean tennis player Chung Hyeon speaks during a press conference organized by his sponsor French clothing company Lacoste, at the Villa de Bailey in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Lacoste

Tennis sensation gives himself score of 70 to 80 for his remarkable 2018 season

By Kang Aa-young

Korean tennis sensation Chung Hyeon, did not give himself full marks as he looked back on his remarkable 2018 season, but the 22-year-old said he aims to achieve more in the forthcoming season.

“I had good results this season. However I do feel some disappointment as I was not able to take care of my body due to injury,” Chung said in a press conference and fan meet-up organized by his sponsor, French clothing company Lacoste, Tuesday, at the Villa de Bailey in southern Seoul.

Chung's 2018 season came to an early end as he didn't get featured in the Nitto ATP Finals, due to blisters on his right foot. He has been focusing on getting treatment for the injury and getting a head start on his offseason rehabilitation training.

“I would probably give myself a score of 70 to 80 out of 100,” the 22-year-old player said during the event.

Chung gained popularity globally after winning the Next Generation ATP Finals, a tennis tournament featuring players from the ATP World Tour who are under 21, in Milan in 2017.

He became one of the most talked about players as he caught the tennis world by surprise after defeating current No.1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia 3-0 in the round of 16 at the Australian Open. Then he beat Tennys Sandgren of U.S. in the quarterfinal before losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals.

By reaching the quarterfinals in his next four events, Chung ranked No. 19 in the world, but struggled in the remaining season due to injuries. Chung's continuous withdrawals saw his ranking fall to No. 25.

Chung said he had “mixed feelings” about being the highest ever ranked Korean player. “I felt emotional when I broke the record of Lee Hyung-taik, No. 36, but I am still putting in efforts to go higher than that,” he added.

Before Chung, there was a Korean tennis legend Lee Hyung-taik, with a world record of No. 36 in 2007.

As Chung made it into the semifinals in the Australian Open in January, he rewrote history. Though he suffered a loss against Federer, suffering with blisters on his feet, his ranking soared from No. 58 to No. 29.

Of the many games Chung played, he picked the Australian Open in January as the most memorable game, saying he was also surprised to see star players like Djokovic and Federer, who he “admires the most,” and he dreamed of being a tennis player.

“It was a unique experience for me too, to get to play with Federer,” Chung recalled. He picked the moments when he beat top 10 world ranking players as the best moments.

Looking back at a lackluster season due to injury, Chung seemed eager to bounce back next year. Concluding his 2018 season, Chung said the injury was treated as a priority. The blisters on his feet still seemed to be bothering the young player.

Chung said he wakes up in the middle of the night due to the pain. “I will be prepared for the next season. Now I'm putting my efforts into practicing and working towards increased flexibility, to avoid injuries in the future,” he said.

For the 2019 season, Chung spoke ambitiously of attaining better results, adding his goal is to finish the season without injuries.