Karen Khachanov saved five match point to rally into the quarterfinals at Almaty.
Chris OddoOctober 22, 20262 minute read
Karen Khachanov came in from the cold after spending several tense moments on the precipice of defeat on Thursday in Almaty. The No. 5 seed eventually came away with a hard-fought 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(7) victory after saving five match points against Tomas Machac in a thrilling encounter.
“I am speechless,” Khachanov said. “I was living through these hard moments but then the relief is there when you win these kinds of hard matches.”
Khachanov saved four match points on serve at 5-6 in the final set. Machac missed a backhand at the end of a long rally on the first and rued the missed opportunity. On the second, Khachanov delivered a booming first serve out wide – too hot to handle.
The same – a white-hot first serve – on the third, and on the fourth, Machac was cursing himself again after missing a midcourt forehand wide of the sideline.
The Czech earned a fifth match point with Khachanov serving at 6-7 in the final-set tiebreak, and wouldn’t you believe it, Khachanov played the point of the tournament, running the length of the court several times before drawing a Machac forehand error.
The match wasn’t over yet, but Machac’s spirits were down, and two points later Khachanov had his 27th win of the season.
The former champion will face Alexander Bublik in the quarterfinals.
Defending champion Daniil Medvedev also advanced, 6-2, 6-1, over Sho Shimabukuro. He’ll face Terence Atmane, who battled past Mattia Bellucci 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 7-6(5).
