27-year-old Karen Khachanov will return to the Top 10 for the first time since 2019 after another run deep into the second week of a Grand Slam. The Moscow native is into his second career French Open quarterfinal and is on the brink of his third Grand Slam semifinal appearance in as many tournaments.
Khachanov made a run to the 2022 US Open semifinals as the No. 27 seed and the 2023 Australian Open semifinals as the No. 18 seed. Seeded 11th in Paris, the Russian has advanced to the quarterfinals having yet to face a player ranked higher than him. Nonetheless, his consistency on the sport’s biggest stages has been incredibly impressive. Khachanov is now 14-2 in his last 16 Grand Slam matches. That is the most wins on the ATP side over the previous three Grand Slam events.
Karen Khachanov at the 2023 French Open
Khachanov’s 2023 trip to Paris did not start in the most fruitful manner. He came back from a 0-2 set deficit in Round 1 against Frenchman Constant Lestienne. Khachanov capitalized on 40 winners compared to 29 unforced errors in the final three sets to overcome the Frenchman. Since trailing 0-2 in the first round, Khachanov has won 12 of 14 sets to propel himself into the French Open quarterfinals for the first time since 2019.
To reach his third semifinal in as many Slams, Khachanov will have to get past the buzzsaw that is Novak Djokovic. The 22-time Slam Champion has recorded 18 consecutive Grand Slam wins and is 33-1 in Grand Slam sets this season. Djokovic holds an 8-1 head-to-head advantage over the Russian, including a 4-0 mark over the last 15 months.
Khachanov’s serve has been a tremendous asset all season long, and will have to continue to impress if he wants to pull off the upset against Djokovic. Through four matches in Paris, Khachanov has pounded 38 aces and only eight double-faults. Against one of the best returners in the world, he must keep his first-serve percentage up while winning as many free points as possible.
Regardless of result on Tuesday, Karen Khachanov will leave Paris ranked inside the world’s top ten. His powerful and aggressive style of play will make him a contender at Wimbledon, an event he reached the quarterfinals in when he last played (2021).
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
