'War of the Korean Tennis Stars': Chung Hyeon and Kwon Soonwoo to Clash in Gwangju

'The Face of Korean Tennis' Chung Hyeon (29, Gimpo City Hall) and Kwon Soonwoo (28, Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps) have both advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2026 Gwangju Open International Men's Challenger Tour, setting up their first-ever official match against each other.

Chung Hyeon, ranked 644th in the world, defeated Cl?ment Chideque of France, ranked 179th, 2-0 (7-5, 7-5) in the men's round of 16 singles match held at Jinwol International Tennis Center in Gwangju on the 23rd. Both sets were closely contested, with the game going to deuce nine times in each set, but Chung prevailed by displaying composure and strategic play in critical moments. With this victory, Chung has reached the quarterfinals of the Gwangju Open for the second consecutive year.

Jeong Hyun is playing against Cl?ment Chidek in the men's round of 16 match of the 2026 Gwangju Open International Men's Challenger Tour tennis tournament held on the center court of Jinwol International Tennis Court in Gwangju on the 23rd. Provided by Gwangju Tennis Association

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After the match, Chung said, "It means a lot to be able to play one more match in front of Korean fans. Despite the pressure, I encouraged myself to stay focused, and that led to a good result."

Kwon Soonwoo, ranked 350th in the world, also joined the quarterfinals after defeating Ilya Shimakin of France, ranked 227th, 2-0 (7-6<2>, 6-3) in his round of 16 match held on the same day. Kwon gained the upper hand by showing exceptional concentration during the first set tiebreaker, and then dominated the second set with sharp serves.

Kwon commented, "Analyzing my opponent's serve patterns and anticipating key points was the key to my victory. I've only played practice matches with Chung before, so I'm very excited and expect it to be a fun official match for the first time."

The meeting of these two stars, who symbolize Korean tennis, is creating a buzz in the local tennis community. The quarterfinal match between Chung Hyeon and Kwon Soonwoo will take place on the 24th, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.

Meanwhile, to celebrate this big match, the Gwangju Tennis Association plans to hold a surprise event after the quarterfinals on the 24th, in which two spectators will be selected by lottery to receive tennis rackets signed by both players.

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