Karen Khachanov looks forward to defending his Rolex Paris Masters championship next week, while looking back on a transformative title experience.
A year ago, Khachanov knocked off four Top 10 opponents in succession—John Isner, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem and Novak Djokovic— to capture his biggest championship in Paris.
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The ninth-ranked Russian told the official tournament website that rousing run was life-changing.
"In some ways, yes, this tournament changed my life, my career," Khachanov said. "If only because the closer to the top you get, the higher your expectations and the more other people expect of you."
Khachanov concedes Paris altered his expectations.
"Reaching the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000, for example, doesn’t feel the same as it did before, when I was world No.25," Khachanov said. "Generally speaking, a lot of things happened for me in the second half of 2018. From May onwards, actually. I reached my first Grand Slam quarterfinal, again in Paris, at Roland Garros, then afterwards I played better and better. That meant that my results got better and better too."
This year, the hard-hitting Russian reached semifinals in Montreal and Beijing, but has suffered 12 opening-round losses, including a US Open first-round loss to Vasek Pospisil.
It's all added up to a 27-24 record with 1,000 ranking points to defend in Paris next week.
"I just want to enjoy it and play some good tennis," Khachanov said. "It’s not that I’m not under pressure, but I’ve got no fixed goals. I’m not telling myself that I definitely have to win again. Although, of course, I’d love to win in Paris again, and win every other tournament I enter."
Photo credit: Rolex Paris Masters Facebook