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Djokovic Bows Out of Australian Open, Federer Advances

Novak Djokovic (L) and Chung Hyeon
Novak Djokovic (L) and Chung Hyeon

Six-times champion Novak Djokovic bowed out of the Australian Open in the fourth round as relentless South Korean Chung Hyeon ground him down to claim a stunning 7-6(4) 7-5 7-6(3) victory on Monday.

The 21-year-old Chung, ranked 58th in the world, proved an immovable object, absorbing everything the former world number one could throw at him and returning it with interest.

Two years after losing in straight sets to Djokovic at the same Rod Laver Arena, the bespectacled Chung turned the tables to claim the biggest victory of his career, Reuters reported.

He is also the first South Korean to reach a grand slam quarterfinal and will be favorite to reach the semis with unseeded American Tennys Sandgren up next.

Djokovic wore a compression sleeve on his serving arm, a legacy of the elbow injury that sidelined him last year. The Serb grimaced occasionally and needed treatment on his feet after losing the first set.

Roger Federer was a strictly nocturnal beast throughout the first week of the Australian Open but proved just as effective with the sun on his back as he sauntered into the quarterfinals for the 14th time on Monday.

The defending champion did not require his dazzling best against 80th-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics but still emerged a comfortable 6-4 7-6(3) 6-2 winner.

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