Poster: Naomi Osaka

the second highlight which defines the player he is now. Six months after the French Open, Chung won the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

The new tournament brought together the top 8 players on the circuit, aged 21 or lower. In a fastpaced, different format, Chung bested his peers to earn a significant trophy and prize money. Coach Godwin believes this was the turning point of his career. “In my opinion, because of that tournament, he really started to believe, ‘I can win tournaments, and I can beat two, three or four good players in a row’.” Chung did not drop a single match in the round robin-cum-knockout tournament. The title win was a huge boost to his confidence, as we saw at the Australian Open. His semifinal appearance at the Grand Slam only made the case stronger. The run to the semis meant that Chung became the highest-ranked South Korean tennis player ever, breaking past Hyung-taik Lee’s record positioning at number 36 over a decade ago.

The future now shines very brightly for Chung. With his age just 21 years, his career promises much. Great Asian singles players like Vijay Amritraj, Paradorn Srichapan, Kei Nishikori, among others, did not realise the dream of lifting a Grand Slam title – although there is still time for Nishikori. Chung may outdo all of them. With his emphasis on defence, and a gradually developing offensive mindset, Chung will hope that he can lead the charge of the young once the likes of Federer, Rafa Nadal, and Djokovic retire. World number three Alexander Zverev is generally considered to be the next big hope for men’s tennis, but he is a player who Chung has already beaten. The Korean certainly has the credentials to take on the mantle.

Chung’s recent displays at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters tournaments were further proof that he is no mere flash in the pan. There is certainly much more to come from him and, perhaps, Chung will be the man to break the glass ceiling for Asian men’s tennis.