He is the player who beat Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and has now made history for his country

Hyeon Chung, one of the sport's biggest 'what-ifs', once defeated Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.

The South Korean star broke through at the 2018 Australian Open, defeating Mischa Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Djokovic, and Tennys Sandgren en route to the semi-finals. There, he retired due to injury against Roger Federer, but had already announced himself on the world stage.

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Chung looked set to challenge for tennis' biggest titles for years to come, but it wasn't to be. Recurring injuries ended those dreams. He took several extended breaks from tennis and hasn't played a main draw Grand Slam match since 2019.

He hasn't given up, though, and continues to compete in Asia. And at 30, Chung just helped South Korea make history at the Davis Cup…

Hyeon Chung helps South Korea reach Davis Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history

Last year, Chung returned to the South Korean Davis Cup squad for the first time since 2017 to help his side earn promotion from World Group One.

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Then, this February, Chung beat Argentina's Marco Trungelliti as South Korea upset the 2016 champions to move one win away from the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna.

Standing between the Koreans and a maiden Davis Cup quarter-final was an Indian side, which had beaten the Netherlands en route to the second qualifying round.

Soonwoo Kwon gave South Korea a 1-0 lead in the tie, beating Dhakshineswar Suresh in three sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Chung then stepped up to play the Indian number one, Sumit Nagal.

Nagal was too good for Chung in the opening set, taking it 6-2, but the 30-year-old refused to be beaten. He battled back to win 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in a three-hour classic.

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"When I was broken at 3-3 in the second set and fell behind 3-4, I actually felt more relaxed. I thought my opponent might feel the pressure of wanting to close out the match. I kept believing that I would get at least one opportunity and that, if I could take it, the momentum might shift again. At 5-5 in the third set, there was no real strategy left. We had both been playing for more than three hours, so it became a battle of mental strength," said Chung after the match.

South Korea finished day one with a commanding 2-0 lead over India, needing just one win on Saturday to secure their spot in Bologna's Davis Cup Finals.

India weren't ready to leave Seoul that quickly, though, and extended their stay with a doubles win to halve the deficit. Nagal then played Kwon, knowing a win would force a decider between Chung and Suresh.

Unfortunately for India, Suresh wasn't given a chance to play again, as Nagal fell to a disappointing, 1-6, 2-6 defeat to Kwon.

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South Korea vs India – 2026 Davis Cup

South Korea vs India – 2026 Davis Cup

For the first time in their history, South Korea qualified for the Davis Cup quarter-finals. The team celebrated with their home fans, and rightly so. But what's next for Chung and his teammates?

Who will join South Korea in the Davis Cup quarter-finals?

As the hosts, Italy were already guaranteed a spot in the final eight. South Korea will join them, as will Austria, who defeated Belgium 3-1 in their qualifier.

2026 Davis Cup quarter-finalists

Italy

South Korea

Austria

Great Britain or Ecuador (GBR lead ECU 1-0)

Germany or Croatia (GER lead CRO 1-0)

USA or Czechia (USA level with CZE 1-1)

Canada or France (CAN lead FRA 2-0)

Spain or Chile

South Korea will head to Bologna as big underdogs, but if they can show the same fighting spirit they produced against Argentina and India, who knows what they might be able to achieve.

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Before the Davis Cup Finals begin, Chung is expected to travel to China for the Luan 4 ITF event, which starts on Monday, September 28.

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