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Chung won their only prior FedEx ATP Head2Head matchup
Hyeon Chung, No. 58 in the ATP Rankings, and Tennys Sandgren, No. 97, will play in the Australian Open quarter-finals. Raise your hand if you had that penciled into your men's draw before the fortnight began.

Yeah, didn't think so.

The unlikely runs of Chung and Sandgren have captivated audiences across the globe, as Koreans and Americans have clung to their computers and televisions to cheer on their respective compatriot.

Chung became the first South Korean – male or female – to reach a quarter-final of a Grand Slam when he upset 14th seed and six-time former champion Novak Djokovic in the fourth round.

“I'm just looking for Novak, Roger, Rafa. They're all my role models, my idols. I'm just happy to play with Novak again. I'm just honoured to see him again on the tour. Today my dreams come true,” Chung said after the win.

The 26-year-old Sandgren, who's playing in only his third Grand Slam, became the second man in the past 20 years to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on debut. Nicolas Escude reached the quarter-finals on debut in 1998, and Alexandr Dolgopolov also made the quarter-finals during his first appearance in 2011.

“This is definitely surprising for me because normally when I make like a little bit of a jump, I feel like I'm hitting my head against a wall until I get a breakthrough. It takes a while,” said Sandgren, who hadn't won a Grand Slam match before this tournament. “Normally my better results, for me at least, take time. This kind of hasn't. It's taken a lot of time going into it, but to get all your wins in one sitting is strange. I'm grateful for that. I'm very grateful for that.”

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following quarter-finals match-ups at the Australian Open & vote for the players you think will win!
Federer v Berdych | Chung v Sandgren


Chung and Sandgren have played only once before in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Earlier this month, Chung advanced 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the second round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.

The match propelled Chung to his sixth ATP World Tour quarter-final, when he fell against fellow Melbourne quarter-finalist Kyle Edmund. But the experience also boosted Sandgren.

“I think a big deal was playing Chung in Auckland,” Sandgren said when asked about a turning point during the past year or two in his career. “I feel like we had a tight contest. I feel like I had to raise my game to even compete with him on the court. I think that helped me a lot going into this week, seeing I could play a good level.”

The Tennessee native has had to raise his game throughout the Australian Open, and he has. Sandgren advanced in straight sets against French veteran Jeremy Chardy in his opener before needing only three more sets to upset 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka.

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In a battle of first-time third-rounders, Sandgren outplayed German Maximilian Marterer before shocking fifth seed Dominic Thiem 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-7(7), 6-3.

“Each match,” Sandgren said, “I kind of feel like I'm getting more confidence, sure of the things I'm good at.”

Chung has also had to find a level he had never accessed in the past. The 21-year-old, who won the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan last November, drew 2017 Australian Open quarter-finalist Mischa Zverev in the first round, but Zverev had to retire because of a viral illness after only 13 games.

Sydney International champion Daniil Medvedev was next, but Chung had little trouble, and he faced another rising star on the ATP World Tour in 20-year-old Alexander Zverev.

When the draw was announced, fans and pundits circled a potential fourth-round contest between Zverev and Djokovic. But Chung eliminated that idea, coming back from two sets to one down to win 5-7, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 against Zverev.

Neither Chung nor Sandgren had reached a fourth round of a Grand Slam before this Australian Open. By Thursday, one will be a Grand Slam semi-finalist.

Did You Know?
Chung is ninth in the Infosys ATP Stats Leaderboards Return Category for the past 52 weeks, with a return rating of 153.2. Learn more.

Rivals meet for third consecutive year and fifth time overall at Melbourne Park
Four and a half years without a Grand Slam title is a long time to wait for a legend of the sport. But that is exactly the position the-then 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer found himself in entering the 2017 Australian Open after six months on the sidelines due to a knee injury. One year later, and Federer is just three matches away from a staggering 20th major title.

Federer is the only remaining player in the draw with a Top 5 spot in the ATP Rankings, but he confronts a familiar foe Wednesday in former World No. 4 Tomas Berdych.

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following quarter-finals match-ups at the Australian Open & vote for the players you think will win!
Federer v Berdych | Chung v Sandgren


"We have had some good ones over the years," said Federer. "I'm looking forward to playing against him. He seems in good shape, and I'm happy he's over his back issues that he also had at the end of last year. That's a good thing."

The last men’s quarter-final at the Australian Open will be the 26th instalment of a rivalry that began more than 13 years ago. Federer leads the FedEx ATP Head2Head series 19-6 and has won their past eight meetings. Berdych’s last victory over the World No. 2 came nearly five years ago at the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. At the time, that was Berdych’s fifth win in eight matches against Federer as the Czech enjoyed a patch of success in the rivalry between 2010 and 2013.


FedEx ATP Head2Head Series: Roger Federer vs. Tomas Berdych (Past Five Matches)
Year Event Round Winner Score
2017 Wimbledon SF Roger Federer 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 6-4
2017 Miami Open presented by Itaú QF Roger Federer 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(6)
2017 Australian Open R32 Roger Federer 6-2, 6-4, 6-4
2016 Australian Open QF Roger Federer 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4
2015 Nitto ATP Finals RR Roger Federer 6-4, 6-2
“If there is any plan or any key to success [to beating Federer], then I would like to know that," said Berdych. "I'm definitely going to go out there, try my best, try to play good tennis, and believe myself that I can do it. I did it in the past, and also, I did it at the Slams, so I know how it is to beat him over the best-of-five sets. But, obviously, he’s an extremely tough opponent.”

Federer met Berdych on three occasions in 2017 (Australian Open, Miami and Wimbledon) and came out of each match with a victory. But there is cause for concern for the defending champion — Berdych held two match points in their encounter at the Miami Open presented by Itaú before Federer emerged with the win, and later that week the title, last March.

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Berdych has reached the last eight in emphatic style, with just 17 games lost in his past two matches to beat 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro and 25th seed Fabio Fognini. The Czech has beaten Federer twice at the Grand Slam level before at The Championships at Wimbledon in 2010 and the 2012 US Open, but it will take an incredible effort to produce a third upset on Rod Laver Arena.

Federer’s bid for a 20th Grand Slam title is just three matches from becoming a reality, but can Berdych, searching for a maiden Grand Slam championship crown, upset the odds and book a spot in the semi-finals? We will find out on Wednesday night.

Did you know?

Roger Federer is fifth all-time in the Infosys ATP Stats Leaderboards Serve Category against Top 20 opponents with a career serve rating of 299.6.