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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22:  Hyeon Chung of South Korea celebrates winning a point in his fourth round match against Novak Djokovic of Serbiaon day eight of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia.  (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) 775056574
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Hyeon Chung of South Korea celebrates winning a point in his fourth round match against Novak Djokovic of Serbiaon day eight of the 2018 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) 775056574
Published Jan. 22, 2018

MELBOURNE, Australia — Back-to-back shockers resulted in a most unexpected Australian Open men's quarterfinal.

Six-time champion Novak Djokovic and fifth-ranked Dominic Thiem lost within a few hours Monday, leaving Hyeon Chung and Tennys Sandgren playing for a spot in the semifinals.

The 58th-ranked Chung relentlessly attacked an injured Djokovic in a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 7-6 (7-3) fourth-round victory, becoming the first South Korean to reach the last eight at a Grand Slam.

Sandgren, a 26-year-old from Tennessee, had never won a Grand Slam match or beaten a top-10 player until last week. The 97th-ranked Sandgren beat Thiem 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (9-7), 6-3.

"I don't know if this is a dream or not — all you guys are here, so maybe it's not," Sandgren said. "I'm not in my underwear, so maybe it's not a dream."

Chung ripped 47 winners and credited Djokovic as his inspiration. "When I'm young, I'm just trying to copy Novak because he's my idol," Chung said. "Dreams come true tonight."

Djokovic was playing his first competitive tennis since Wimbledon last July, and he had to remodel his service swing due to an injured right elbow.

He winced and grimaced throughout the match and said he would need to reassess the injury, but he didn't want to detract from Chung's win.

"Amazing. Amazing performance," Djokovic said. "Whenever he was in trouble, he came up with some unbelievable shots."

Djokovic termed his health as "not great, unfortunately. It's disappointing to go out in the fourth round, but the circumstances are such. That's the reality."

Defending champion Roger Federer rolled into the quarterfinals for the 14th time. He beat Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 and next faces Tomas Berdych. Federer is 19-6 all time against Berdych.

Angelique Kerber, the only Grand Slam singles champion remaining in the women's draw, struggled against No. 88 Hsieh Su-wei, a former top-ranked doubles player with a double-handed grip on both sides. Kerber rallied for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 win and next faces Madison Keys, who beat No. 8 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-2.

"Credit to her. She played an unbelievable match," said Kerber, who is on a 13-match winning streak. "I was feeling I was running everywhere."

Kerber, who is 6-1 against Keys, appeared burdened by the No. 1 ranking she carried for much of last year. This year, seeded 21st, she has played more freely: "I just enjoy my tennis again.''

Keys said of Kerber: "She has an ability to cover the court and anticipate like really no one else does. For me, it's having to play consistently aggressive, because she's going to make three more balls than other girls may be able to get to.

Top-seeded Simona Halep beat Naomi Osaka 6-3, 6-2, and next faces sixth-seeded Karolina Pliskova, who beat No. 20 Barbora Strycova 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-2.

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Elise Mertens won her 10th straight match to reach the women's semifinals, upsetting No. 4 Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-0.

Mertens, ranked 37th, won a 27-point rally while holding serve in the fourth game of the second set. She next faces either second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki or Carla Suarez Navarro.