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TENNIS

Chung Hyeon continues to climb men’s world ranking

Chung Hyeon, a 21-year-old tennis player from Suwon, Gyeonggi, has achieved a career high in the men’s world ranking for the second time in two weeks.

Chung moved up two spots to reach No. 47 in the Association of Tennis Professionals world ranking released Monday. Two weeks ago, Chung cracked the top 50 for the first time by soaring seven slots to No. 49.

Chung reached the quarterfinals at last week’s ATP event, the Winston-Salem Open, in North Carolina. He is scheduled to compete at the U.S. Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, this week.

Lee Hyung-taik, now retired, holds the record for highest-ranking Korean player, reaching No. 36 in August 2007.



FOOTBALL

David Beckham to visit Korea to promote life insurance

David Beckham will visit Korea next month for a corporate event, officials in Seoul said Monday.

AIA, the Hong Kong-based insurance group, will bring the 42-year-old retired football star to Seoul on Sept. 20 as its global ambassador. During his stay, Beckham will attend promotional events by the insurance company and meet his fans here.

This is the first time since 2014 that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder will visit Korea. Three years ago, Beckham landed in Korea also for a corporate tour to promote whisky products.

Beckham, who hung up his boots in 2013, has visited Korea before as a player. Ahead of the 2002 World Cup, he came to the country for the English football team’s training on Jeju Island.



GOLF

Rookie Choi Hye-jin signs sponsorship deal with Lotte

Choi Hye-jin, who just turned professional last week, signed a lucrative endorsement deal on Monday with retail conglomerate Lotte Group.

Choi, the runner-up at the U.S. Women’s Open last month, signed a two-year deal with the company. While the financial terms were not disclosed, Choi reportedly signed for the biggest contract ever handed to a rookie by a Korean conglomerate.

Choi is also expected to receive performance-based incentives, depending on her world ranking and showing at major championships.

Choi turned 18 last Wednesday and went pro the following day. In her final tournament as an amateur on Aug. 20, Choi won the Bogner MBN Ladies Open on the KLPGA Tour, becoming the first amateur in 18 years to win twice in Korea in one season.

Lotte said it had been interested in signing Choi over the past three years and pledged full support for the duration of its contract. Choi will make her professional debut at this week’s KLPGA event, the Hanwha Finance Classic.

“It still hasn’t hit me that I am now a professional golfer,” Choi said. “I’ve learned so much by playing professional events over the past couple of years, and I’d like to return people’s love and support with strong play.”

Yonhap
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