Australian Open 2018: Hyeon Chung defeats Novak Djokovic

After all, Federer was done. He was never going to win another grand slam. And Rafa, sure, he was a contender, but only in Paris, really. But they made it through, and we all loved it, as those old favourites squared off once again.

They’re still there at Melbourne Park this year, and favoured to do it again. And we’ll all love it once again. Yet there’s a flip side to two men in their thirties being the top two in the world.

Tennis has been waiting for a new male face — that young star who was going to break the stranglehold of the big four. Look at the list of grand slam winners since Novak Djokovic claimed his first Australian Open in 2008.

Juan Martin del Potro has only won one US Open, as has Marin Cilic. Andy Murray is in the Big Four, even though he has only won three slams. Stan Wawrinka might be the closest thing but he was in his late 20s when he broke through in 2014 at Melbourne Park.

That’s it. But it’s not even necessarily about winning slams; it’s about contending. Kei Nishikori made the US Open final in 2014, and you’d see guys like Grigor Dimitrov making semi finals, but that’s basically it.

It’s a weight on the shoulders of every player under the age of 25. Will they be the first to break through?

We’re three matches from knowing for certain. Two matches if you’re kind and just want a new finalist. But the numbers speak for themselves; the new guard is coming.

Oh, right. Hyeon Chung beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets on Monday night. That’s what we’re talking about here.

Let’s be fair to Djokovic; he clearly wasn’t at his best. Having not entered a tournament since Wimbledon, he was always going to be underdone, and both his elbow and hip have bothered him at times during this event.

But it wasn’t so much about Djokovic losing but Chung winning, and the way he won. It was positively Djoker-like.

Jim Courier laid it all out before the match, calling Chung a “very, very good imitation of Djokovic” on Channel 7’s coverage.

It was all there, particularly the defence. Point after point, Chung had the stamina and the ability to reach balls that Djokovic would have won points on earlier in this tournament.

“Whenever he was in trouble he came up with some unbelievable passing shots. From the back of the court he was like a wall,” Djokovic said.

“He showed no weaknesses and played a great match.”

Sound like anyone in particular to you? A certain Serbian tennis robot who would simply outwork everyone?

The tone was set when Chung went up 4-0 in the first set, of course, but a moment in the third set tiebreak spoke loudest.

Djokovic kept putting him away. And Chung kept, somehow, reaching the ball. And then he put it away.

The moment did not have him in awe. Chung said after the match his main thought during that tiebreak was that he had two sets left, and the strength to win one of them. That’s not always the mentality of a kid.

Being unseeded didn’t give Chung as much credit as he arguably deserved going in. He won the Next Generation ATP Finals event last November, and then beat world No.4 Alexander Zverev — the flag-bearer for the stars of tomorrow — in five sets in the third round.