	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

ROLAND GARROS

June 3, 2018

Karen Khachanov

Paris, France

A. ZVEREV/K. Khachanov

4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English, please.

Q. Does this feel like a match that slipped away from you or did you feel like you should have won? How do you look back on it?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, okay, of course was really close match. I had my chances in fourth set, in the fifth, so didn't take it.

And, yeah, of course I think in this match could go either way and was really close, just a few points difference.

Q. I put it down to inexperience. What do you put it down to that you had your chances and you couldn't take it?
KAREN KHACHANOV: I mean, okay. Experience, of course experience, but...

Q. On the big arena against a top player. That's what I mean.
KAREN KHACHANOV: Well, of course you can put it to experience, but whatever. But at the end, when you have really close match, you play good match, good fight.

Of course, I didn't win it today, but it's a positive sign. So hopefully next time I will win it. That's how I see it. The most important is game.

And, honestly, match by match, I was playing better and better, and that shows that I increase level. So with this thing, I'm really happy.

And, you know, just keep trying to move forward, to improve, and get better.

Q. You used during the match, like Alexander, a lot of drop shot. Your game is topspin, but you can play even in grass as hard as this, or you had prepared the tactic because you knew a lot about Alexander since you were little boy? The drop shot?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, okay. The drop shot, I think it's a useful shot on clay if you prepare it well.

So if the guy -- especially like Sascha -- he stays so far back to return, sometimes if you do a good drop shot it's very useful point.

But then, of course, you need to choose the right shot to do it. So if you do it bad, you can lose a point.

So, yeah. But, in general, of course it was part of the tactic and part of the shot that I like to do.

Q. Do you ever look at the other side? I mean, at the changeovers, for example, that it's his third five-setter in a row. Did it tell you anything about his condition or did you include it in your plan against him, knowing that the player that -- your opponent had two five-set matches in a row before your match?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah. But, at the end, we had also five-set match.

So if you're asking me about tactic, you mean tactic, what? To make a longer match or what?

Q. Yes.
KAREN KHACHANOV: So, at the end, we had long match and still he won. So it's not a matter of that.

So I think physically he's ready. I'm also physically ready for these kind of matches.

And, yeah, like I said, that was just a good fight and few points difference. So that could go either way, and that's it.

Q. Do you have any kind of regret for the match of today or not? I wasn't here the first question, so maybe you have already answered. Because, okay, if it was best of three, you would have won. What is the difference. -- I mean, at the end, do you think it's just because he was more consistent, or you were thinking too much and you were winning against a top player? Or I don't know if there is any explanation.
KAREN KHACHANOV: No. Of course, I'm disappointed because I lost this kind of tough match. It's never easy to lose a match in five sets.

I know that I gave my 100% today. That's why, with this, I'm satisfied, you know, that I know that I gave everything on the court.

And that result, this time, went on his side. Yeah, okay. Maybe he was better in some aspect of the game. So that's what I can say. I give credit to him on what he did in this match.

And what I did on my side, of course, you always can do something better. You can make a point on the break point inside the court, or you can miss it a little bit. So I had my chances, yeah, shit. So...

Q. Which chances are you talking about?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Okay. Was in the fourth set, 2-All. I had two break points. I think it was 15-40. Then he was serving for the set in the fourth set. Again, I had two or three break points. So then, you know, in the fifth set, in the beginning, I was leading on my serve, and then at the end I got broken.

Then again I had a few more break points, you know. That's what I call chances so...

Q. Can you say a bit more about the experience of playing this match? Because there was a lot going on with the crowd, with the umpire, with the cheering and everything. Did you have fun?
KAREN KHACHANOV: No, I enjoyed from the beginning till the end. That's what I'm playing for, to play big matches like this, further in the tournament. Hopefully many more to come.

And, you know, yeah, I'm really enjoying when the crowd is supporting you, you know, in atmosphere you cannot describe sometimes.

So, yeah, I'm really -- I was really enjoying this time, and that's what it is.

Q. Have you ever thought I'm very close to win this match?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Sorry?

Q. Have you ever thought, I'm very close to win this match? I mean, during the match. Did these kind of thoughts enter your mind or you try to block them away?
KAREN KHACHANOV: No. I think you're very close when you have one point to win. But even one point you have to win when you have match point; right? So, at the end, even if you are two sets to one up, doesn't mean anything, you know.

And that's the difference between three-sets and five-sets matches. That's the difference on Grand Slams. That what makes five-set matches, you know, and these kind of fights different from the regular events.

Q. You used to train not very long ago in Barcelona. Now where is your base and are you going to still play on clay where you are?
KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, okay. Like I said in the previous interviews, I have residence in Dubai. I'm sometimes there, but depends which time of the year.

Now it was European swing, so I was still practicing sometimes in Barcelona, sometimes in -- I don't know where it was, okay, before Monte Carlo, you know. So then I went earlier to Paris. So it was not really somewhere based, yes, so that's why my team was with me traveling.

So now we will see. Now is grass coming. I'm going back home to Moscow first to rest, and then we make the plans. Because still I need to see with the doctor about my foot.

Q. Many years ago I have interviewed you in Florence when you were playing a junior tournaments and you played very well there. I would like to know when did you realize that you were really becoming a top player, a big player, a great player? I mean, there was a key moment when you said, Oh, yes, I'm there?
KAREN KHACHANOV: But what is for you this moment? Which moment? Which moment is this? I mean --

Q. I'm asking you when you think that something great --
KAREN KHACHANOV: I think when you start to play ATP, that's -- when you play ATP and you start to win matches in ATP.

Q. Like which match, if there is one tournament.
KAREN KHACHANOV: It's, like, difficult to say. It's every step was important, you know.

First I won my first Futures, and then I won another Futures. And then I don't know. I won three in a row, and then first Challenger, then second, and like this.

I think it was more when I reached top 100. This was, I think, the first step. You know, for the guy who's playing ATP, who you want to first that goal, first milestone, you know, is to reach top 100.

And then I won my first ATP title in China in Chengdu. So maybe this was the year and the moment, yeah.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297