2019 Cincinnati Masters – Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov taking place? Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason
When is Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov on and what time does it start? Thursday 15th August, 2019 (UK)
What is the expected weather for Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov? Partly cloudy with a temperature around 29c
What channel is Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream the match live va their platform
Where can I get tickets for Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov? https://www.wsopen.com/Tickets/
THE LOWDOWN
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last meeting: N/A
NICK KYRGIOS
- Nick Kyrgios played out a commanding straight-sets victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the first round in Cincinnati to set-up a first career meeting with Karen Khachanov.
- The Aussie star is on a charm offensive and winning fans everywhere with his on-court antics, while his recent title win in Washington was his second on a hard court this year as he gears up for the US Open.
- Kyrgios reached the finals in Cincinnati two years ago but lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the Bulgarian’s peak year before the Aussie played out three deciding-set matches in 2018, losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the round of 16.
KAREN KHACHANOV
- Karen Khachanov received a bye to the second round here at the Cincinnati Masters where he is seeded eighth and will also play in the Men’s Doubles with Chile’s Cristian Garin.
- The young Russian star is 21-18 for 2019 after a semi-final loss to friend, compatriot and ATP rankings neighbour Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of last week’s Rogers Cup.
- 23-year-old Khachanov has reached the round of 16 at this tournament in two consecutive years, losing to Japan’s Yuichi Sugita and Croatia’s Marin Cilic in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
THE PREDICTION
At 24 years old, Kyrgios looks to be somewhat maturing into a player who can use his fiery temper in the right way, like close friend Andy Murray. The Aussie beat Daniil Medvedev to win the Citi Open two weeks ago, and will face the other top ten Russian, Karen Khachanov, for the first time. With any match involving Kyrgios, the result hinges on mentality and focus. The fact that he beat Medvedev in the final at Washington two weeks ago, and Medvedev in turn defeated Khachanov in the semi-final last week, suggests that Kyrgios is the favourite to progress here, but Kyrgios does not follow standard procedure. Besides, Khachanov is an excellent player in his own right, higher-ranked and very aggressive, and these two could find themselves in a couple of tie-breaks, so a deciding set could well be the most feasible call.
