Lee Hyung-Taik Leaps to World Top

A world star, Lee Hyung-taik (25, Samsung) rewrote the history of Korean Tennis.

Lee, ranked 81st in the world, became the first Korean tennis player to reach a final in the ATP tour, defeating Michal Tabara (the Czech Republic), ranked 73rd in the world, 2-1 (4-6, 6-2, 6-1) in the men’s singles semifinal of the US Men’s Clay Court Championship (total prizemoney $ 350,000) held in Houston, the U. S.

It was the best record among Korean players that Lee Hyung-taik and Park Sung-hee reached semifinals, respectively at the Samsung Open Tennis Tournament last November and the Indonesia Open Tournament in 1994.

Lee, ensuring $27,000 prizemoney by being a finalist, is expected to enter within 60th in the world ranking to be announced next week because he already obtained 120 ranking points.

Kim Jong-Seok kjs0123@donga.com