It almost never happens. It's late in a Grand Slam tournament, and Roger Federer has little personal intel on his upcoming opponent. In fact, he's never played him.
Yes, it happens from time to time in the opening rounds of tournaments or midway through, as new players are always making their way onto the ATP World Tour or enjoying career runs – see Hungarian Marton Fucsovics vs. Federer in the fourth round of the 2018 Australian Open.
But deep in a Slam? Rarely. Yet that is the occasion that will greet millions of fans across the world on Friday, when the 19-time Grand Slam champion faces 21-year-old Hyeon Chung of South Korea for a spot in the Australian Open final.
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Cilic vs Edmund | Federer vs Chung
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Although he's in unfamiliar territory, Federer is welcoming the new – and unique – challenge.
“I'm very excited to play Chung. I thought he played an incredible match against Novak. I mean, to beat him here is one of the tough things to do in our sport, I believe. I know that Novak maybe wasn't at 110 per cent, but he was all right. He was giving it a fight till the very end. To close it out, that was mighty impressive,” Federer said after beating Tomas Berdych for the 20th time to advance to the semi-finals. Read Report
“To bounce back from a Novak match and just somehow get it done today, this afternoon, that's tough. That shows that he's had good composure, a great mindset. Also physically he must have recovered because Novak is going to give you a bit of a workout. I think it's an interesting match for me. I'll definitely have to look into how I need to play against him because he has some great qualities, especially defensively, like Novak has.”
Federer is glad to see the likes of Chung and Brit Kyle Edmund, two first-time Grand Slam semi-finalists, enjoying their career runs.
“I think it's a good thing. They got to make a move. I find it disappointing when their breakthroughs come at 27, because then we know them for seven years, let's say. I like it when we don't know the guys. I hardly know Chung. I've hardly spoken to him,” Federer said. “It's not going to happen all the time. We like our rivalries that do exist on the tour. New names are good, from time to time, of course.”
The other names might have changed, but Federer's game has not. Thus far Down Under, he has looked his usual unblemished self, winning 15 consecutive sets through five matches to stroll into his 14th Australian Open semi-final.
By beating Berdych in straights sets on Wednesday, the 36-year-old Federer became the oldest semi-finalist in Melbourne in 41 years (Ken Rosewall, 42, in January 1977). Federer also reached his 43rd Grand Slam semi-final, extending his Open Era record.
But Chung's unexpected run to the semi-finals has been one to recline and enjoy as well. The 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals champion became the first South Korean – man or woman – to reach a Grand Slam semi-final when he beat Tennys Sandgren of the U.S. in straight sets on Wednesday.
“[In the] last game many things come together. If I win one more point, I make history in Korea... I had to stay calm because the finish – the match is not finished yet, so I'm just trying to stay calm until [I] finish the match,” Chung said of his thoughts after converting his sixth match point to advance. “I think all the people [in Korea are] watching Australian Open now because we make history in Korea.”
His quarter-final match against No. 97 Sandgren marked the first time Chung, No. 58, was the higher-ranked player this tournament. He beat 32nd seed Mischa Zverev, who reached the quarter-finals here last year, in round one, and Sydney International champion and No. 53 Daniil Medvedev in the second round. To make the quarter-finals, Chung upset fourth seed Alexander Zverev and six-time champion Novak Djokovic.
“I'm really surprised because I really don't know. I make semis, I beat like Sascha, Novak, the other good players. I [have] never played in the second week in Grand Slam, so I'm really surprised,” Chung said.
Federer's game, however, will be no surprise to Chung, who, like hundreds of young players, calls the Swiss one of his idols. But the South Korean's game might bewilder Federer. The 36-year-old said he'll have to do some research on Chung's style of play, which has impressed the all-time great.
Federer said: “I have to look into it. Right now I couldn't tell you how I need to play him. One thing I know is I'm going to be playing aggressive. I don't know how I'm going to do that exactly yet. I don't know exactly how he returns and how he serves exactly. Those are two major aspects to the game. Those start the points. I have to figure that part out.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Chung has the ninth-highest Return Rating on the ATP Stats Return LEADERBOARD, powered by Infosys NIA Data.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://ift.tt/2rFYMBg
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