Karen Khachanov is probably one of the more frustrating players on the men’s tour. The former two-time Grand Slam semifinalist is just too inconsistent to cement a permanent place in the top ten.
2025 ATP Tour
Masters 1000
Miami Open
Miami Gardens, Miami, Florida (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 64 Matches- 21st March
Karen Khachanov (22) vs Nick Kyrgios
A prototypical modern hardcourt player, Khachanov leans on a strong serve and devastating forehand to pummel his opponents into submission. He is a supreme athlete but doesn’t have much of a Plan B when things go awry. He won his 6th and 7th titles last year but has battled to find his rhythm this campaign, coming into this year’s Miami Open with a disappointing 4-6 record. However, the flat-hitting Russian appears to have a penchant for these Miami surfaces, reaching the semifinals in 2023 and the 4th round last year. I think these low-bouncing, pacey surfaces just suit his ‘meat and potatoes’ style perfectly.
Now to the real attraction in this match: Nick Kyrgios. One of Aussie tennis’ most beloved bad-boys (and there are a few), Kyrgios will be buzzing after winning his first tour-level match in two years. Kyrgios has faced a series of setbacks in recent seasons (both legal and injury-related). And his return to action hasn’t been smooth (he had lost all three tour-level matches coming into this event). And he will have had a sinking feeling in the early stages of his clash with Mackenzie McDonald, going on to lose the first set 6-3. But the mercurial Aussie turned on the afterburners from that moment on, winning the remaining sets 6-3, 6-4 to secure a solid comeback win. The big-hitting Aussie served efficiently, winning 78% of his first-serve points (nailing 13 aces in the process). Kyrgios has enjoyed this event in the past, reaching in back-to-back semifinals in 2016 and 2017 (when the event was still hosted at Key Biscayne). Can Kyrgios harness all that undeniable ability to make it back-to-back wins?
The Verdict: Khachanov to win in straight sets at – Khachanov leads the head-to-head 2-1, winning their most recent meeting in five sets at the 2022 US Open. That was their 2nd successive Grand Slam marathon match, with Kyrgios outlasting the Russian at the 2020 Aussie Open. I’m not going to get overhyped by Kyrgios’ performance against McDonald. Khachanov’s power and depth of shot make him an entirely different proposition to McDonald.
