Kwon Soon-woo (26, Dangjin City Hall) rewrote Korean tennis history. Kwon Soon-woo became the first Korean to win his second championship on the men’s professional tennis (ATP) tour, setting a record that even Korean tennis legends Hyung-taek Lee and Hyeon Jeong could not achieve.
In the final of the 2nd round of the ATP Tour Adelaide International held in Adelaide, Australia on the 14th, Kwon Soon-woo defeated world number 26 Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) 2-1 (6-4 3-6 7-6) after 2 hours and 42 minutes. defeated and won. It is the second ATP Tour victory in his personal career in 1 year and 4 months after reaching the top for his first at the Astana Open in September 2021. He is the first Korean player to reach the top twice in singles on the ATP Tour. Lee Hyeong-taek, coach of the Orion tennis team, has won the ATP singles and doubles once each. In 2018, Hyeon Jeong, who became the first Korean to make a semifinal at the Australian Open in a major tournament, has not won the ATP Tour.
With this victory, Kwon Soon-woo jumped 32 places to 52nd in the world rankings announced every Monday. On November 1, 2021, it is his career high and tie record.
It was a dramatic victory story. Soon-Woo Kwon seemed to be packing his bags early, losing to world number 115 Tomasi Machác (Czech Republic) in the preliminary round of the tournament. However, there was a player who did not participate in the finals, so he advanced to the finals as a ‘lucky loser’, and in the round of 16, he vomited his spirit by defeating Pablo Carreño Busta 메이저놀이터 (Spain), who is ranked 15th in the world. Afterwards, he won the final, surpassing Michael Immer (77th, Sweden) and Jack Draper (42nd, England) in successive advances. According to the ATP, it is the first time that a lucky loser has won since Marco Sechinato (93rd, Italy) in 2018. Kwon Soon-woo said, “After losing (in the preliminary), I came to the finals repeating to myself that I had nothing to lose,” and “I put all my energy into it and I am happy to win.”
It is noteworthy whether Kwon Soon-woo, who started his new year with a victory, will cause an ‘underdog rebellion’ at his first major tournament of the year, the Australian Open. The Australian Open kicks off on the 16th in Melbourne, Australia. Soon-Woo Kwon faces Christopher Eubanks (123rd, USA) in the first round of singles.