CHENGDU, August 4, 2019
After more than five months on the sidelines, Hyeon Chung has returned to the tour, winning the 2019 International Challenger Chengdu held on hard courts at the Sichuan International Tennis Center. The 23-year-old from South Korea defeated Yuichi Sugita of Japan in Sunday’s singles final 6-4, 6-3.
No. 2 seed Chung, who played his first tournament since the ATP 500 event in Rotterdam in February, saved the only break point he faced, capitalizing on three of his own 11 break point chances to secure victory in one hour and 27 minutes.
That did not take long.
In his first tournament in five months, @HyeonChung is the CHAMPION in Chengdu. Stunning week for the 🇰🇷 to take the 🏆. pic.twitter.com/tXfxSG4Ekk
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 4, 2019
“I had a back injury. I’ve missed the competition a lot and just being out there. I am really happy to be back on court and to win the Challenger,” Chung said. “I practiced really hard to get back to the tournaments.”
By lifting his ninth ATP Challenger trophy, his first since 2017, the former World No. 19 took away from China $18,000 in prize money as well as 110 ATP Ranking points. Chung will be ranked World No. 139 on Monday.
