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Chung Loses Match, Gains Acclaim


After Roger Federer ended Hyeon Chung's Indian Wells run, the world No. 1 made a strong case for the 21-year-old Korean's longevity potential.

Asked to assess Chung's game, Federer cited several assets.

Watch: Federer Makes Chung Pay

The 20-time Grand Slam champion praised Chung's competitive calm, heavy groundstrokes, movement and defensive skills.

"Good intensity. Solid in his mind," Federer said of Chung. "I like his speed of shots, you know, forehand and backhand. It's a heavy ball, and he's very consistent. In today's game, that's a lot. And then he's good on the defense, and he also likes to come to the net.

"So I see a lot of good things moving forward for him."

ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, who formerly coached Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori, said he believes Chung will finish 2018 ranked higher than Alexander Zverev.

The 20-year-old Zverev finished 2017 ranked No. 4. Gilbert predicts Chung will have a better career than Nishikori, the 2014 US Open finalist, if he can improve his serve.

"If Chung had Raonic or Querrey's serve, he'd be the next number one in the world," Gilbert said on ESPN.

Chung knocked off Zverev and Novak Djokovic in succession en route to his first Grand Slam semifinal at the Australian Open in January.

Chung lacks the jolting serve of Nick Kyrgios, Taylor Fritz and Zverev and doesn't detonate the shot-making explosiveness of Denis Shapovalov, Andrey Rublev and Frances Tiafoe, but defends better than most of his peers, plays with consistent depth and can close at net.  

Photo credit: Dan Huerlimann/Beelde Images

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