The 2019 season is almost upon us and the preparations are in full swing. The Mubadala World Tennis Championships start this week with Kevin Anderson facing Hyeon Chung in the opening game.
Watch & bet on Hyeon Chung v Kevin Anderson live in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships on Thursday, December 27. The match begins at 4:00 pm local time (12:00 pm GMT).
Anderson is starting the competition as the defending champion. He won the tournament last season after defeating the likes of Dominic Thiem and Roberto Bautista Agut.
This time, however, the field is comparatively stronger and the South African is likely to face some difficulties during his pursuit to become the champion.
Hyeon Chung v Kevin Anderson Head to Head
Anderson has met his 22-year-old South Korean adversary only twice on the ATP Tour. Both of those meetings came over the last couple of seasons and Anderson leads comfortably by 2-0.
Their most recent meeting took place at the ATP Acapulco in February earlier this year. Anderson and Chung met in the quarterfinal there and the South African sailed to an easy victory in straight sets.
Chung’s First Appearance in Mubadala
The young South Korean has got himself a wonderful opportunity here to start his season on a great note. He is the only player outside the top 10 in the competition and going the distance here will boost his confidence superbly.
Chung, who achieved his career-high singles ranking as the World No. 18 in the season behind us, displayed momentary streaks of brilliance through the year.
His most remarkable display of skill came at the Australian Open, where he defeated Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic back to back to reach the semis. He faced Roger Federer there but was forced to retire in the second set.
Chung also reached the quarterfinal at the Indian Wells and Miami Masters. However, his form went down thereafter and he eventually fell out of the top 20. In most of his subsequent tournaments, he failed to move past the early rounds.
Anderson’s Motivation to Stay at the Top
Anderson’s 2018 season was the best year of his professional career. He ended the year as the World No. 6 and won two singles titles. Additionally, he was also the runner-up in the ATP Pune, ATP Acapulco, and most importantly, the Wimbledon.
Over the course of his season, he defeated several prominent players – most notably, Federer at the SW 19. He also defeated the likes of Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, and Dominic Thiem.
The South African’s game of late has been highly clinical as he looks to make more strides in his career. He also has experience on his side – something that Chung will need to keep in mind when he goes head to head with his opponent.
All in all, Anderson will start this match as the favorite to win. His pre-season preparations have gone well and he is eager to make an impression in Mubadala. He was also quoted saying that he wants to face Rafael Nadal and Djokovic at the competition. Needless to mention, this is going to be an exciting match to watch.
The Hyeon Chung v Kevin Anderson match will be played on Thursday, December 27, in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships 2019. The match starts at 4:00 pm local time (12:00 pm GMT).
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