ATP Cup 2020 – Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz taking place? RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
When is Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz on? Sunday 5th January, 2020 – not before 23:30 (UK)
What channel is Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream the match via Amazon Prime Video
Where can I get tickets for Karen Khachanov vs Taylor Fritz? https://www.atpcup.com/tickets
Who won the last meeting between Karen Khachanov and Taylor Fritz? Karen Khachanov beat Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-4
THE LOWDOWN
KAREN KHACHANOV
- Karen Khachanov opened Russia’s ATP Cup account with a win over Italy’s Stefano Travaglia before competing alongside Daniil Medvedev in a doubles victory that wrapped up a 3-0 win.
- World number 17 Khachanov reached a career-high of 8th in the ATP rankings last season before a dip in form seemed to coincide with compatriot Medvedev’s meteoric rise, with a quarter-finals exit at Roland-Garros a highlight.
- However, the 23-year-old saved his best tennis for the non-ranking Davis Cup in Madrid, where he and Andrey Rublev battled their way through to the semi-finals, with especially unlikely success in the doubles where they beat Novak Djokovic’s Serbia.
TAYLOR FRITZ
- Taylor Fritz enjoyed a breakout season last year in which he reached a career-high 25th in the ATP world rankings and won his first ATP title at the Eastbourne International on grass.
- The 22-year-old enjoyed a big win for the USA at the Davis Cup in November against the world number eight Matteo Berrettini but he is still relatively new to the international experience.
- Fritz lost his previous match against Karen Khachanov in straight sets at the Shanghai Masters last October but he has since beaten two players ranked higher than the Russian in Alexander Zverev and Berrettini.
THE PREDICTION
This should be a much tighter match than the previous meeting between these two players and as the opening match of the tie it will be an excellent spectacle between two robust and powerful players. Taylor Fritz has it in him to cause upsets, with four wins over top 10 opponents last season, and could well take this to a deciding set at the least. The Russians should see this tie through even if Fritz wins this tie, but Karen Khachanov has the recent experience to get through this tricky test victorious.
