QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN

February 24, 2024

Karen Khachanov

Press Conference

K. KHACHANOV/J. Mensik

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. A great match, Karen. Jakub, he did not get any breakpoints on your serve today. Do you think your serve was the key of the match?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, definitely. When two aggressive players, two big servers are taking care of the serve, definitely it's a big influence, you know, and very important.

I think that shows also that I served it out really well and took care of my serves, you know, the way even sometimes not only, let's say, serving an ace on first serve but the following shot after. So I think it was the key, in a way.

Look, I just made one break in the second set. In the first set I had one breakpoint, and then everything was decided in the tiebreak.

We can say that it's the serve, but I would say it's just a few points' difference, you know.

Q. Congratulations, Karen. Did you have a plan before you entered the match? Were you able to identify any specific weaknesses in Jakub's game?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Of course I had a plan. I mean, you know, when you play against such an also aggressive player, you have to try first to make as many returns as possible if he serves it out the way he was doing in the first set, like 76% first serves in. Nothing to say. Just well done and wait for your chance.

At the same time, I was thinking that he was playing quite a lot of matches, a lot of sets. You know, maybe he can be physically a little bit tired. So I think once the ball was in play in the rally, I was controlling it more. You know, I was moving him more, I was playing aggressive so that he doesn't have, let's say, free points or easy points, you know. I think that's also maybe was a part of success.