Eye on the objective: Hong hopes to clinch a second ATP Challenger in addition to play at Roland-Garros.
| Photograph Credit score: SUDHAKARA JAIN
Seongchan Hong is a person in a rush. The fleet-footed 26-year-old tennis participant from South Korea is racing towards time to grasp his desires earlier than leaving for obligatory army service on the finish of the 12 months as mandated by his nation’s legal guidelines.
A kind of is successful his second ATP Challenger trophy, a feat he agonisingly fell wanting on Sunday within the dafaNews Bengaluru Open ultimate, and likewise in Thailand final month. One other is to play at Roland-Garros, the location of his first-ever Main look, albeit within the qualifying rounds.
“I’ve to go to the military this 12 months and I can’t play for one-and-a-half years,” Hong informed reporters right here. “This will probably be my final 12 months of touring. I can solely play tournaments inside South Korea. That’s why I need to focus arduous and revel in myself on the courtroom as a lot as I can.”
Like his compatriot and famed Tottenham Hotspur ahead Heungmin Son, Hong would have been exempted from the military’s calling if he had received a gold medal on the Asian Video games.
However in Hangzhou final 12 months, in a curious twist, it was India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni who ended that pursuit by defeating Hong and his companion Soonwoo Kwon within the doubles semifinals.
“The dropping feeling within the Asian Video games was very tough to deal with as a result of now I’ve to go to the military,” stated Hong. “I received a bronze, so there was some enjoyment… however yeah.
“Now, I can not compete with different gamers on the Tour. Rankings can even take a dip. After which, after I come again, I will probably be 29-30. Which means it will likely be robust for me bodily and mentally.”
Not giving up
However Hong isn’t giving up. He plans to remain in contact with the game even when within the military and needs to be again on the Tour.
“The military has a tennis workforce and I will probably be enjoying there. I’ve to observe the coaching within the army service and in my free time I can play.
“I need to come again, if I’m bodily okay and if my household is okay to let me journey once more. I simply love the competitors.”
