In a commanding performance, Russian tennis star Karen Khachanov overpowered Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, the No. 8 seed, with a decisive 6-2, 6-3 victory at the Paris Masters on Friday evening. This win marks Khachanov’s first trip to the semi-finals at this prestigious event since his championship run in 2018.
From the start, it was evident that Dimitrov was feeling the effects of his grueling previous matches, having spent nearly five hours on court. Khachanov capitalized on Dimitrov’s fatigue, breaking serve in both of Dimitrov’s initial games to surge to a 4-0 lead. The former champion showcased his powerful serve and relentless groundstrokes, clinching the first set with ease at 6-2.
In the second set, Dimitrov tried to rally, employing low slices to disrupt Khachanov’s rhythm. However, a critical double fault at a crucial moment allowed Khachanov to break at 3-3. The Russian maintained his momentum, securing another break to seal the set and the match.
Notably, Khachanov faced no break points throughout the match, while Dimitrov struggled, winning only 23% of his second serve points compared to Khachanov’s impressive 64%.
After the match, Khachanov praised his opponent’s effort, stating, “I started really strong… I noticed he was not feeling okay, not 100 percent. Big credit to him for finishing the match.”
With this victory, Khachanov not only advances to the semi-finals but also eliminates Dimitrov from contention for the Nitto ATP Finals. Next, he will face Frenchman Ugo Humbert, promising an exciting clash in the next round.
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