"Kwon Soon-woo is more impressive than world-famous stars!" A rising Korean star's candid confession... He truly delivered "I'm energized by the success of Korean tennis" [Seoul Open On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I found the Korean players to be even more remarkable."

Jung Yeon-soo (19, Myongji University), a promising young talent in Korean tennis, shared a candid confession. Although he had the opportunity to watch world-renowned tennis stars up close, he was actually more impressed by the outstanding skills of his senior Korean players. He specifically noted that Kwon Soon-woo's (29, Chungnam Sports Council) play was particularly impressive.

On the 25th, Jung defeated Evan Zhu (USA) in straight sets, 2-0 (6-4, 6-4), in the first round of the men's singles qualifying draw at the "2026 Eugene Investment & Securities Seoul Open Challenger Tennis Tournament," held at the tennis court in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul.

It was a stunning upset victory. Jung, ranked 1,522nd in the world, defeated an opponent who ranked a staggering 1,060 spots higher than him. Moreover, this tournament marked Jung's first-ever appearance at a men's professional tennis (ATP) Challenger event.

After the match, Jung's face was filled with joy. "I had a mindset of enjoying the game even before stepping onto the court. The support from many people gave me strength," he said. "As the match progressed, I realized it wouldn't be easy. I thought that I needed to run a lot for opportunities to arise, and I feel like I made good use of the chances that came my way."

Jung is one of the promising players expected to take on the future of Korean tennis. He reached as high as 45th in the junior world rankings and advanced to the second round of the Junior Australian Open on two occasions.

Since enrolling at Myongji University this year, he has continued to show steady growth. He achieved strong results in various collegiate tournaments and recently contributed to Myongji University's team victory at the 107th National Sports Festival, marking the university's first team title in 18 years.

In particular, Jung has a special mentor: Coach Jeong Jong-sam of Myongji University, who also leads the Korean men's national tennis team.

Korean tennis wrote history this year by reaching the final eight of the Davis Cup for the first time ever. Under Coach Jeong Jong-sam, Lee Kkeu-neun (CEO)team broke through competition against world-class powerhouses to set a new milestone.

This upward momentum in Korean tennis has also served as a major source of motivation for Jung. "Coach Jeong Jong-sam is our coach at Myongji University. He also manages the national team, and I feel that the team's strong performance this year gives me strength," he said.

He also revealed the key to his growth since entering university. "I have known my weaknesses since my junior days, and I believe that coming to university with that self-awareness has been the most helpful in my development," he explained. "Even after becoming an adult, I continue to train while constantly reflecting on my areas for improvement."

His perspective on world-class players was also impressive. Through various international stages, Jung has had opportunities to watch global stars up close, including Novak Djokovic (Serbia).

Marin Cilic (Croatia), the 2014 US Open champion, is also participating in this Seoul Open.

However, Jung said that he found the play of Korean players more remarkable than that of world-famous stars. He even mentioned being surprised by "seeing how well Kwon Soon-woo plays."

While his experience with world-class players was special, the performances of his senior Korean counterparts provided another source of stimulation for Jung.

Jung also dreams of one day becoming a player who competes on even bigger stages, just like his seniors. "Just as I competed in Grand Slams during my junior years, I want to step onto the Grand Slam stage once as an adult," he declared with ambition.

This Seoul Open is an even more special experience for Jung. He received news of his qualifying wildcard entry just three days before the tournament opened, on the 22nd. Although it was a sudden opportunity, he did not let it slip away and secured a victory.

Above all, he expressed excitement about being able to showcase his tennis in front of domestic fans. "I feel full of anticipation when playing matches in Korea," Jung said. "There is a lot I can show, and the greatest happiness for me is being able to display my tennis to so many people."

He added, "I always try to enjoy playing tennis."

Other Korean players also performed well on this day. In addition to Jung, Jung Yun-seong (Anseong City Hall), Park Yi-seong (Daegu City Hall), Shin Woo-bin, and Shin San-hee (Gyeongsan City Hall) — five players in total — won their first-round qualifying matches. Notably, Jung, Park, Shin Woo-bin, and Jung Yun-seong defeated opponents who ranked higher than them in the world rankings.

Jung's challenge continues. On the 26th, he will face senior Korean tennis player Jung Yun-seong in the final round of qualifying to determine who advances to the main draw.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original