Khacha' back on track

Our friend Karen is struggling at the end of the season; this return to Paris should help him get through it, and he doesn’t really have much choice anyway!

Khachanov is defending a semifinal this week; he could lose a lot with a bad result, the pressure is big. He’s coming in without rhythm and without a win since the US Open!! An eternity for a player of his caliber, especially since he was rock-solid before the slump. He hasn’t had tough draws either, but we should also point out that his game hasn’t been that good. His track record in Paris is excellent, he loves playing here, but the novelty this season is that we’re not in Bercy. I don’t know how much that can affect him, but I think it’s a real factor to consider. The feel and the conditions aren’t the same at all, and I’m not sure we can still give him the edge because of that. We’ll get the answer fairly quickly, and I’d like an answer to another question too: Is Bonzi injured? The Frenchman retired against Lehecka in Brussels with a leg issue, and apparently he pulled out of doubles this week because of the same injury, but for now he’s still slated to play singles. I really don’t like that info. For that reason, we can’t really bet on him pre-match; however, if he’s 100% and we can tell that quickly, then yes, I think we can lean his way, given Khacha’s poor form and the pressure on him (on top of facing a local who’s excellent indoors).