career change

Khachanov lost in the first round of the last tournament, but then he went on to win the doubles title with his buddy Rublev.

That’s the kind of info we like to have. At first you’re thinking Khacha shows up here with no wins or rhythm in his legs, then you find out he won the doubles title. It’s not as big as a singles title, but at least he played and got some matches under his belt, and he’s used to the conditions. He’s facing Shang again and that’s shaping up to be a real banger! The Chinese kid plays super well but he’s still a work in progress physically—those recurring injuries and cramp issues make it tough for him to finish matches. Before he gets tired, he’s often excellent. He held up well against Kovacevic today over three sets but he had another little dip, and knowing how good Khachanov is at forcing big battles, that can be scary. Shang will need to lean on that lefty touch to shine in the quick patterns; he can do it, and he’d really benefit from breaking the Russian’s rhythm to keep the edge. Khacha can absolutely play in these conditions, and physically he just doesn’t like the heat—humidity is usually fine. Historically he’s played well in Asia too and he finished last season strong, so I think he’s still got more under the hood. This first round is a double-edged sword: he could get caught out, or he could take control and build on it from there!