By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, November 4, 2018
A masterful Karen Khachanov upset Novak Djokovic, 7-5, 6-4, snapping the Serbian's 22-match winning streak to claim his first Masters championship in Paris.
Photo credit: Rolex Paris Masters Facebook
Sports and healing have long been priorities in Karen Khachanov's life.
Today, a calm Khachanov administered an inventive antidote to Novak Djokovic.
Watch: Khachanov Powers Into First Masters Final
A masterful Khachanov deconstructed Djokovic, 7-5, 6-4, to capture his first Masters 1000 championship at the Paris Rolex Masters.
"It's one of my biggest titles so far, biggest achievement," said Khachanov, who claimed his fourth career title in as many finals. "And in general, it's a breakthrough season. And this title, it's a good year-end, like this I would say. And maybe I'm not crying, but still I'm really happy."
An inspired Khachanov snapped Djokovic's 22-match winning streak denying the second-seeded Serbian his 50th win of the season and record-tying 33rd Masters championship.
The son of parents who both studied medicine, a clinical Khachanov dissected Djokovic as the match progressed.
"All the credit to him," Djokovic said. "He deserves it. He's a young player up and coming. But already established player, top player. And he showed great quality today and he showed why we're going to see a lot of him in the future."
Exuding calm from the first ball, Khachanov stood up to Djokovic in backhand-to-backhand exchanges, moved beautifully, volleyed with authority and struck with precision on the run in a comprehensive performance that showcased his superb racquet skills.
"One thing that with Novak you cannot just go to the net because he has unbelievable passing shots," Khachanov said. "You have to really prepare your coming through. You have to really sort out the right shots when you can step in and go to the net. So of course, the best scenario if I'm hitting left-right and I'm coming to the net with a shorter ball, sometimes it was not possible, but sometimes I did it really well.
"But in general, my game is aggressive and I have to try to step in more and to play the way I played, actually."
Djokovic, who will supplant Rafael Nadal and regain the world No. 1 ranking tomorrow, looked drained by his 7-6 (6), 5-7, 7-6 (3) triumph over Roger Federer in yesterday's pulsating semifinal, as he fell for the first time in a Paris final.
Fourteen years after his tennis hero, Marat Safin, captured his third Rolex Paris Masters crown, Khachanov completed a career breakthrough week rampaging through four straight Top 10 victories to become the first Russian to rule Paris since Nikolay Davydenko in 2006.
"He was playing big from the back of the court," Djokovic said. "Flat backhands and forehand. He can really hurt you. That's a big weapon. And serve. I mean, serve is really, really strong and precise. So his overall game was really, really great all week."
The 18th-ranked Russian, who carried a 3-16 career record vs. Top 10 opponents into Paris, scored his fourth straight Top 10 triumph in as many days.
The Moscow champion saved a match point edging John Isner in a third-set tie break on Thursday before annihilating Alexander Zverev, 6-1, 6-2, in the quarterfinals and breaking five times in a row demolishing Dominic Thiem, 6-4, 6-1, in yesterday's semifinals.
Playing his first career Masters final, Khachanov played dynamic all-court tennis rallying from 1-3 down to claim his third title of the season. Khachanov is projected to rise to a career-high No. 11 when the new rankings are released tomorrow.
Djokovic's speed and counter-strike skills shrink the court and force opponents to expand their ambition. He showed it all bursting to a 3-1 lead.
The second seed ran down a deep drive and tossed up a lob the Russian slapped a smash into net to face triple break point.
The first-time finalist answered with a series of ballistic drives denying all three only to see Djokovic earn a fourth break point.
Spreading the court shrewdly, Djokovic zapped a diagonal forehand drawing the error to gain the first break in the fourth game.
The battering ram rips Khachanov unleashed in straight-sets shellackings of Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem were boomeranging back at him against the US Open champion.
Unfazed, Khachanov spun a backhand pass down the line for break point and broke back for 2-3 when Djokovic scattered a forehand. Twenty-seven minutes into the match, Khachanov cracked an ace dealing a level hold to level.
The 22-year-old Russian is one of the hardest-hitters in the game but showed subtlety lofting a lob inside the baseline to gain break point in the ninth game.
Extending the point with a flick forehand, the rangy Russian raced left and nudged a backhand down the line breaking for 6-5 with a furious celebratory uppercut.
Serving for the set, a jittery Khachanov dumped his first double fault. Then, he slammed shut the door on Djokovic rifling crackling forehands to close the opening set on a three-game surge.
Khachanov fought off four of five break points he faced and converted both break points he earned in the 59-minute opener.
For the second time in the tournament Djokovic, who rallied from a set down to defeat Marin Cilic in the quarterfinals, would need to fight back.
The Wimbledon winner erased two break points, sliding an ace on the second, but was stopped in his tracks by a crackling Khachanov forehand pass for a third break point. Djokovic nudged his most reliable shot, the two-hander, into net as Khachanov took a 2-1 second-set lead 70 minutes into the match.
Khachanov slammed his seventh ace down the middle backing up the break for 3-1.
Changing racquets, Djokovic pounded his palm off the face of his strings while some Serbian fans chanted "Nole! Nole!" trying to rouse the second seed.
Trying to force the issue, Djokovic began attacking net in an effort to end points.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion saved three break points in the seventh game, eventually holding for 3-4.
Whipping his ninth ace out wide, Khachanov moved to within one game of his greatest title.
Knocked to the ground chasing a twisting Djokovic forehand, Khachanov arose to create closure. Right to the final point, Khachanov stayed aggressive, blocking a forehand volley then banging a backhand crosscourt for double championship point.
When Djokovic sprayed a final backhand wide, Khachanov thrust both arms in the sky and erupted in a primal scream.
Djokovic out-dueled Federer in a riveting reminder of the game's glorious past last night.
Today, Khachanov seized the spotlight showing us a glimpse of the game's glittering future and Russian return to Masters supremacy. Both champion and finalist have cause for optimism.
"I'm satisfied of course and I'm going to be No. 1 tomorrow officially," Djokovic said. "And what more can I ask for? I mean, I won 20-plus matches in a row and had a most amazing last five months of the year. So I'm getting into season finale with a lot of confidence and feeling good about my game."
Raising the distinctive tree trophy, Khachanov spoke like a man who knows this Masters title seed could sprout into Top 10 success soon.
"I don't mind about this attention," Khachanov said. "I mean, you have to deal with the pressure always I think on every stage. Again, if you think about top guys, how they are doing when they go on court, for example, like Novak went on the court with me, he's favorite still and you have to deal with this pressure. And in most of the situations and matches, they deal with it.
"So, I mean, it's work. It's a homework that I have to do. And with experience I think it will come."