Final Up to date: January 22, 2023, 11:43 IST
Australian Open: Karen Khachanov and Yoshihito Nishioka (AP)
Karen Khachanov outclassed Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) to e-book a spot in his maiden Australian Open quarter-final
A dominant Karen Khachanov received the primary 14 video games earlier than surging into his maiden Australian Open quarter-final on Sunday in a straight units romp over Japan’s outclassed Yoshihito Nishioka.
The Russian 18th seed swept previous his racquet-smashing opponent 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) on John Cain Area.
Nishioka, seeded 31, was so out of contact within the opening two units that he received simply 13 factors.
In set two, he managed solely two factors throughout six video games in an embarrassing annihilation.
Khachanov appeared on monitor to grow to be solely the sixth participant in Grand Slam historical past, and the primary since 1993, to document a triple bagel win — 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 — earlier than Nishioka lastly received the fifteenth sport to very large cheers from the gang.
The victory put him into the final eight at a Grand Slam for the fifth time. His finest outcome was reaching the semi-finals on the US Open final 12 months, the place he misplaced to Casper Ruud.
He’ll subsequent face both American twenty ninth seed Sebastian Korda or Polish tenth seed Hubert Hurkacz.
“First two units, I didn’t know what was occurring,” he mentioned. “You’re going with the rating, let’s say, too straightforward. Then Yoshi turned it round, pumped the gang and I attempted to remain centered from starting to finish.
“It’s not straightforward to win with this rating, three units, however I’m enjoying properly and actually joyful to undergo,” he added.
The Russian, a former world quantity eight, has received 4 profession titles, all on onerous courts, and was just too good for Nishioka.
He broke the Japanese star immediately then twice extra as Nishioka struggled along with his first serve and Khachanov attacked the second.
Nishioka hit simply three winners within the opening set, whereas making 12 unforced errors in a 26-minute thrashing.
Issues didn’t enhance for him within the subsequent, with Khachanov breaking twice early to go 4-0 clear, with Nishioka destroying his racquet in frustration by repeatedly smashing it to the bottom.
The Olympic silver medallist romped by way of the set in simply 20 minutes, however with a uncommon triple bagel on the playing cards, Nishioka lifted in set three.
He broke after which held to the delight of the gang to make a match of it earlier than lastly succumbing in a tense tiebreak.
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