World number 15 Khachanov had a tough time against sixth seed Mackenzie McDonald in the quarter-finals. Karen lost the first set 4:6, then immediately dropped her serve in the second and lost 0:2, but still managed to come back and tie the score. Khachanov then won the third game and improved his season record to 25-12.
Earlier this week, Khachanov beat qualifier Alex Bolt in straight sets, and before that, the Russian was beaten in the first round of the US Open after reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
Khachanov is hoping to win his first title of the year, having reached the semi-finals of the Australian and Miami Opens, as well as four other quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Korda, ranked 33rd in the ATP rankings and also making his debut in Zhuhai, had a much easier match against Thomas Martin Echeverry.
After losing just one game in the first set, the 23-year-old American conceded just two in the second, allowing him to win his 18th match out of 29 in 2023. Earlier this week, Korda beat Alexander Muller in two sets.
Korda, like Khachanov, was also defeated in the first round of the US Open.
The American reached the final of the Adelaide tournament earlier this year and also has two other semi-finals to his name. Like his opponent, he also hopes for his first title in 2023 and the second of his career.
Khachanov drew 2:2 in personal meetings with Korda. Karen won her last match in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open in three sets. If we take only hard courts, Khachanov has a 2-1 advantage, Korda only won in the first round in Cincinnati last year.
Both Khachanov and Korda are typical third-line players and have similar playing styles. Both serve well, hit powerfully with both hands and move well.
However, Khachanov has the advantage due to his vast experience, consistency and good performances, especially on hard court, where he has a record of 152-116 and four titles. Meanwhile, Korda is only 59-35 and has no titles on similar surfaces.
However, in terms of matchups, there are few differences between the two players, so it will all depend on who performs better that day.
If all goes well, Khachanov will try his luck given his first successes on hard this season. Karen must emerge victorious.
Forecast: Khachanov wins in three sets.
Source: Sport
I’m Rose Brown , a journalist and writer with over 10 years of experience in the news industry. I specialize in covering tennis-related news for Athletistic, a leading sports media website. My writing is highly regarded for its quick turnaround and accuracy, as well as my ability to tell compelling stories about the sport.
