No. 8 seed Roberto Bautista Agut has exited the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Promising Hyeon Chung surprised Spain's Bautista Agut in the first round 6-4 6-3. The head-to-head record between the two now stands at 1-1.
Chung, 21, broke Bautista Agut in the fifth game to open up a 3-2 first set lead. Bautista Agut saved five set points on his serve in the ninth game to prolong the set. However, Chung then routinely served out for the opener in the following game.
Chung saved three consecutive break points in the fourth game of the second set to make it 2-2.
Chung then blew two break points in the following game before he managed to break Bautista Agut in the seventh game for a 4-3 lead. Chung saved a break point in the eighth game and broke Bautista Agut in the following game to clinch the win.
Chung hit five aces and won 76 percent of his first serve points on Monday. Chung broke Bautista Agut twice and saved 4-of-4 of the Spaniard's break point chances. The match came to an end after an hour and 34 minutes of play.
Chung plays Gasquet next
Chung is now set to meet world No. 31 Richard Gasquet at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. French tennis player Gasquet edged Dutch Robin Haase in a three-setter 6-7 (11-13) 7-5 6-2. The Frenchman fought hard to create a comeback and prolong his campaign in Shanghai.
Gasquet saved three consecutive break points in the 12th game of the first set to force a tie-break. Haase got off to a comfortable 5-1 tie-break lead. Gasquet then won five points in a row to take a 6-5 lead. Haase saved Gasquet's first set point and three more set points before he won the tie-break.
Haase seemed to be cruising to victory as was also up by 4-2 in the second set.
Gasquet found a way to break Haase and make it all tied at 4-4. Gasquet broke Haase once more in the 12th game to force a decider.
Haase blew two break points early on in the third set. Gasquet broke Haase twice in a row in the sixth and eighth game to seal the win. Both players were tied at 2-2 in the decider when Gasquet won four games in a row to close out the clash.
Gasquet now has six wins and just one loss against Haase. The Dutchman's only win over Gasquet came at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle three years ago in 2014. Since then, Gasquet has collected four wins against Haase.
Set for meeting No. 1
Gasquet and Chung have no previous meetings. South-Korean tennis player Chung would love to continue his campaign in front of the Asian fans. It remains to be seen can surprise Gasquet and reach the Shanghai Rolex Masters last-16.
