The Top 2 Russians in the ATP Rankings battled it out on home soil at the VTB Kremlin Cup on Saturday, but it was Karen Khachanov who beat his friend, Daniil Medvedev, 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-3 to reach the Moscow final.
“I think it’s a great result for me. It’s my first final at the Kremlin Cup. Finally, I made it, and it was especially nice to play in front of such a crowd,” Khachanov said. “It’s tough to play against Daniil on court because we are good friends. He’s having a good season, showing good results this year... I’m happy I won. It’s one of those matches that we will be playing many more down the road.”
Khachanov has enjoyed a tremendous season after qualifying for the Next Gen ATP Finals in 2017. The 22-year-old captured his second ATP World Tour title at the Open 13 Provence, and he also impressed with his first run to the semi-finals of an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, where he lost to Rafael Nadal. Khachanov then pushed Nadal in one of the best matches of the US Open, succumbing after four hours and 23 minutes in the third round.
In the Moscow final, Khachanov will face Adrian Mannarino, who will have a sixth chance to earn his maiden ATP World Tour title after defeating Andreas Seppi 7-5, 7-5 to reach the championship match. Khachanov has won the pair’s two previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, but the Russian is not worrying about past matches.
“I just need to go out there and win,” Khachanov said. “That’s it.”
Just one week ago at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Seppi defeated Mannarino in straight sets in the first round. But the Frenchman turned the tables on the Italian in Moscow, winning 82 per cent of his first-serve points en route to a 93-minute victory.
Mannarino has reached five ATP World Tour finals, but fell short of lifting the trophy on each occasion, including a three-setter earlier this season in Antalya (l. to Dzumhur). The World No. 49, who had lost six consecutive matches when he arrived in Russia, will try to complete the ultimate turnaround against Khachanov. The 30-year-old, who climbed as high as World No. 22 earlier this year, has not lost a set all week.
Did You Know?
Medvedev became the No. 1 Russian in the ATP Rankings after triumphing at the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships 2018, passing Khachanov. But Khachanov can overtake Medvedev if he captures the Moscow title.
