When Hyeon Chung arrived at Crandon Park last year, he was a #NextGenATP player attempting to find his way on the ATP World Tour. But a first-round loss sent his record at the event to 1-3 and his ATP Ranking outside of the Top 100.
This year, the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion has found his stride at the Miami Open presented by Itau. Chung blasted past American qualifier Michael Mmoh 6-1, 6-1 in a tidy 63 minutes on Sunday to reach the fourth round. The 21-year-old is on a hot streak under the Florida sun, not dropping a set en route to the Round of 16.
Chung, the highest-ranked player from Asia, now has 17 wins on the year, a mark he did not hit until August in 2017. The right-hander is also fresh off his best performance at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, advancing to the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open (l. to Federer).
He will have an opportunity to match that result when he faces Portugal’s Joao Sousa, who earned his 150th tour-level win by defeating Jared Donaldson 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour, 55 minutes.
Sousa is into the Round of 16 at Crandon Park for the first time in his career. The two-time ATP World Tour titlist has reached the fourth round at a Masters 1000 event for just the second time, with his best result coming in a quarter-final showing at 2016 Madrid.
The former World No. 28 recorded the fourth Top 10 victory of his career (4-26 lifetime) on Friday when he ousted seventh seed David Goffin. He also beat World No. 5 Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells. It will be the first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between Sousa and Chung.
In other action, second seed Marin Cilic earned a 7-5, 7-6(4) victory over Canada's Vasek Pospisil, securing his best result in Miami since reaching the quarter-finals in 2013. Making his 10th appearance at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event, Cilic is the highest-ranked player remaining following Roger Federer's departure on Saturday.
The Croatian triumphed after one hour and 54 minutes, firing six aces, while saving all three break points faced. Pospisil, who claimed multiple match wins at a tour-level event for the first time since 's-Hertogenbosch in 2017, did his best to fight off his big-hitting opponent.
"It was a relief at the end," said Cilic. "I had those three match points at 6-5 and there was that great rally at deuce. I was playing really well in the tie-break, returning really well and serving really good. I saved the best for last and I'm really pleased with the victory. I was quite focused on my service games and I had to stay patient."
Down 5-6 0/40 in the second set, the Canadian saved three straight match points and earned Hot Shot honours with a running forehand pass to cap a 33-shot rally. But it would not be enough. Cilic improved to 3-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, eventually converting his fifth match point in the ensuing tie-break.
With many players licking their lips at the prospect of lifting a Masters 1000 trophy, Cilic is eyeing a second such title (Cincinnati 2016). He will face 14th seed John Isner for a spot in the quarter-finals.
In a battle of former Top 10 players, Isner downed Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-3. The American is making his 11th appearance in Miami, with his best result coming in 2015 when he reached the semi-finals.
It will be the 10th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting between Cilic and Isner, with the World No. 3 leading 7-2. Cilic ended a two-match losing skid to Isner at Queen's Club last year, their most recent encounter.
Did You Know?
Sousa’s triumph against Donaldson is the 150th victory of his career.
