Karen Khachanov Cruises Past Japanese Opponent to Reach Second Round of ATP 250 Almaty
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
Russian tennis player of Armenian descent Karen Khachanov made a successful start to his ATP 250 campaign in Almaty, Kazakhstan, securing a convincing first-round victory.
On October 20, the 30-year-old Khachanov, ranked world No. 25 in the ATP rankings, faced Japan's Rei Sakamoto, who is ranked No. 124 in the world.
Khachanov claimed a straight-sets victory, winning 6-2, 6-4. The Russian player of Armenian descent needed just 1 hour and 15 minutes to secure his place in the next round.
Khachanov delivered an impressive serving performance throughout the match. He fired nine aces, committed no double faults, and converted three of his ten break-point opportunities. Meanwhile, his opponent failed to earn a single break point.
In the second round, Khachanov will face the winner of the match between Czech player Tomas Machac and Kazakhstan's Zangar Nurlanuly. The winner of that encounter will compete against Khachanov for a place in the quarterfinals.
The Almaty Open is played on indoor hard courts and features a total prize pool exceeding $1 million.