NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 6, 2025

Karen Khachanov

Press Conference

K. KHACHANOV/A. Zverev

6-3, 4-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Karen, congrats. This is your first Masters 1000 semifinal since 2018 Paris. How does it feel now?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, definitely feels good. But, I mean, there is always some stats, you know, that could be, whatever, about the Masters 1000s or 500s, you know, or Grand Slam. So, I don't put too much attention to that, to be honest.

As a matter of fact, you know, having great run so far, having another opportunity to play final in this big event. So, yeah, super happy, super proud to do it once again.

You know, even though it's been quite a few years, but at the same time during this period of time I achieved some other great results in the Grand Slams, or the other achievements, so that's why.

Q. Wondering what the difference was in the tiebreaker that allowed you to get that victory.

KAREN KHACHANOV: You know, when you come to this point, I would say both players deserve to win, you know, him and myself. I cannot tell you what was the difference. In a way that, you know, whoever puts more balls inside the court, or maybe makes more winners, less unforced errors, it's always a question of what do you do in those important moments when it counts.

So I would say actually I was down 3-1, then I came back to 3-All. Then it seems he made two unforced errors. But again, maybe I put a little bit more pressure, he got a little bit more nervous, more tight. So, this is how you play in those moments. You try to bring your A-game, and you can win, you can lose, but it is what it is.

Q. Taylor Fritz was talking this week about how he hasn't had much time to do much, other than sleep and play tennis. He's been playing the late matches. Wondering what your week's been like on that front, and what does the next 24 hours look like for you?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, to be honest, first part of the tournament it was different, because I was playing actually first match always at 11:00, so I had to go to sleep earlier, I had to wake up earlier. Having traffic here coming to the site, one hour every day, so I was sleeping in the car.

But then from quarterfinals actually the schedule changed completely, 180 degrees, and I had late matches at 7:00 p.m. or second after 7:00. So actually, I had these long days, and I tried to go to sleep later, I tried to wake up later. So, yeah, two completely different tournaments, I would say, during the same event.

Q. What have you found in terms of, are you able to pinpoint what has been working for you here in terms of conditions, and curious if you like the format, like the extended format that it's a little longer for the Masters 1000.

KAREN KHACHANOV: You know, actually when I came here I didn't like the conditions (laughing). I can say it now. But that's all about adjusting and adapting. I think tennis is all about that. Every week we play in different event. Even though it's on hard court, but at the end it's different, let's say, humidity, different heat, cold. Sometimes you play day match or night match. That's why a lot of things that matter sometimes on the results, so that's why I think the question is about who adapts better.

And then, once you pass one, two rounds, then you start to play better and better, and then these are kind of battles that we had today, it's a really good match, high level. So you have to come to that stage, obviously. Second question?

Q. The format.

KAREN KHACHANOV: Oh, format. Yeah, to be honest, it a little bit feels too long. It's like in the middle between Grand Slam and a Masters what it was before. From one side, we play best-of-three sets, we have every day, every second day, day off, which I can't complain.

But at the same time maybe it's, to stay mentally focused, yeah, it takes a little bit longer time. I would say maybe nine days, eight days, 10 days maybe, because it's 12-day, right? Now it's 12 days. So it would work better I think for me. I mean, for me. I guess for everybody, but that's my opinion.

Q. I want to ask you a question about your sort of Spanish background. You spent a lot of years training in Barcelona, even you got married in Barcelona, but you are a Real Madrid fan. My question is, has anyone ever played a joke on you because of this duality?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, okay. I never, let's say, lived really in Spain. You know, I mean, yeah, it's true that I had a base there. Since I was junior I spent maybe a couple of months during clay season, especially until the American swing. So actually I cannot consider really that I live there.

But, yeah, I spent quite a bit of time during my career in Barcelona. At that time I found one academy which was working well, I had the whole team from there.

Even though I'm Real Madrid fan, but I'm not crazy fan. So, at the same time I'm not watching every game or every match, depending where I am.

I know Rafa, for example, did. Even when he was in U.S., he was waking up sometimes at 3:00 or 5:00 a.m. to watch the game. So he is, I'm going to say he's a real fan. I'm not, compared to him.

Q. Elina Svitolina weighed in this week in Montreal at the National Bank Open, and she spoke out about the online abuse that sees received from frustrated gamblers. I don't know if you read that story or not, but just wondering if you encountered anything similar on that front, and can anything be done about that?

KAREN KHACHANOV: My whole career, I would say, I heard it (laughing), like any other tennis player, I guess any other sportsman, athlete, you know.

It's a big question. I can talk long time about that. It's like everything, the social media, internet, it's for good and for bad, right? Before, people could read something only in newspaper, printed newspaper. So even somebody could tell you something on the street that you could respond and that's it, or not even responding, right.

Now anyone can write anything they want, from fake accounts or whatever, just to kind of, yeah, piss you off or whatever, just get inside your head. But this is what they are trying to do.

From one side, of course, when you lose a match, you don't want to read this kind of stuff, because, okay, you can still, you are trying your best, you lost, you get disappointed, and then you reads on the top of that stupid messages.

But sometimes you want to respond. But at the same time this is what they are trying, they are provoking you. You know, to answer means, means that it matters to you, so you just have to try to get over it.

But I think ATP or Integrity, I mean, I don't know Integrity system or whatever, company, they try to do something about it, but I didn't see any movement, actually, that they did something. I don't know how you can get yourself protected. I would say just not to go on social media.

I tried it, and actually it helped me a lot. To be honest, last year, I mean for half year, I didn't even go to any social media. And I tell you, the life felt good. Because you can see a lot of things outside, you can spend your time in a different way. Otherwise, you get addicted a lot, you know, always scrolling, whatever. So, yeah, it's up to anyone if they can do something about it.

Q. How do you handle it? Just turn off your phone?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Now, yeah, that's it. I just, whatever. If I want to see something, yeah, I go, but I just try not to open the comments. My team, my managers are doing my page, but then, whatever, if I want to go, I just do it by myself, and I just try not to pay attention to anything and just check whatever I want to check.