The 2023 Australian Open was shaping up to be a historic tournament for Russian tennis player Karen Khachanov.
In his fourth-round match against 31st-seeded Yoshihito Nishioka, Khachanov was on the brink of making history by becoming the first player in the history of Grand Slams to win 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 over a seeded player in the main draw.
Khachanov dominated the first two sets, winning both 6-0 with perfect display. He was up 6-0, 6-0, 2-0 and 40-15 in the third set, on the verge of completing the historic feat. However, Nishioka managed to level the score in the third set, pumping up the crowd and putting pressure on Khachanov. Despite this, Khachanov managed to stay focused and ultimately won the third set in a tie-break.
The last time a player won 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 in the main draw at a Grand Slam was in 1993, when Sergi Bruguera defeated Thierry Champion at the Roland Garros. Khachanov came close to repeating this feat, but ultimately fell just short.
In the second set, Khachanov achieved a so-called "bronze set" by losing only two points. This is an impressive accomplishment, as it shows how dominant Khachanov was during that set. After the match, he said:
“First two sets, I didn’t know what was going on. You’re going with the score, let’s say, too easy. Then Yoshi turned it around, pumped the crowd and I tried to stay focused from beginning to end. It’s not easy to win with this score, three sets, but I’m playing well and really happy to go through.”
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