AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 22, 2023

Karen Khachanov

Press Conference

K. KHACHANOV/Y. Nishioka

6-0, 6-0, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Well done, Karen. You have now made at least the quarterfinals of all Grand Slam tournaments in your career. Only the 10th active player to do so. How do you consider this achievement?

KAREN KHACHANOV: To be honest with you, I was not thinking about it until you mentioned it (smiling). Obviously, yeah, that gives me some kind of compliments, you know, on what I achieve so far, and I'm just happy to do it. Hopefully I can continue even further on even bigger things, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: English questions.

Q. First 14 games, winning those in a row, is that as well as you've played in a long time? Obviously everything was going perfectly at that point.

KAREN KHACHANOV: I would not say, let's say -- nothing to complain, right? I was winning 14 games in a row. But, I mean, obviously, you know, this comes to your mind I think to a player when he's losing constantly games, you know.

I think, again, it was the first game very tough. I served, I think, breakpoint, it was deuce advantage. Since that moment, I start to win games in a row. Then second set, I mean, I lost just two points in the entire set. You don't see often those kind of matches.

It's tough to say what's happening. Obviously I played well. Maybe he didn't in some situations, you know, but it's tennis, you know. I remember myself in that situation, it was weird. Also last year in Rome I won first set against Tsitsipas, 6-4, and then suddenly I was losing 6-0, 2-0, and I'm like, How I cannot win one game with my serve and everything.

That's why it comes to your mind and you kind of stress out, obviously, because you are like, What am I doing here? Those kind of thoughts came in my mind there.

At the end of the day, yeah, it was kind of not common match, but really happy because third set was a tough one.

Q. As you just explained, everything went well in the first two sets, but in like the beginning of second --

KAREN KHACHANOV: Second game of the third set, no?

Q. -- when Yoshi broke back, did you feel any slight changing of the tide at that moment?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, obviously, you know, I'm winning, like I said, 14 games in a row, even 40-15, that game, at one point I think he tried to do something different. I mean, he should try something different, right? He says, Okay, I'm going to go more for it, he came to the net.

He was pumped. I think he kind of tried to forget those two sets and tried to play from zero the match, and that's when it happened. The third set it was completely different match compared to the first two sets.

Q. Your opponent in the next match obviously still to be decided, Hurkacz versus Korda, five sets, obviously longer than yours. Do you feel it's an advantage you have been able to spend less time on court?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Oh, not really, because, I mean, their match is five-setter, like some sets they were kind of quick. They didn't play like Andy played six hours. I mean, I was surprised when it was going on.

But, yeah, they played longer match, more sets, but I would say, yeah, we played today two hours. The other match I played 3:40 with Frances. You know, I think it's kind of equal.

Q. You have played against Yoshi four times already. How do you describe him as a tennis player? What makes him tough to play against or what kind of player he is?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, I think he improved, I mean, so much. Lately from American swing, I remember, that's where we played the last time, you know, in Washington. It was extreme conditions, super hot. I remember I was dead that day, like completely, I was exhausted, and he beat me 7-6, 7-6.

But, you know, I think he improved mentally, maybe today's match doesn't show that way first two sets, but still, he's tough fighter, always bringing you extra balls.

His backhand is very good, like, flat, and he likes to take it on the rise, you know. Forehand with a lot of spin. He's kind of changing trajectories quite often, which makes you feel and play every ball different in a way, right?

Plus, he's good runner, good mover. So, you know, you always expect the ball to come back. He's very good on defending. I think he improved his offense game, that's why he's playing better and has the highest ranking so far.