How Karen Khachanov almost became 1st player in history to win 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 over seeded player at Grand Slam
ATP
Karen Khachanov got close to a historic achievement at the 2023 Australian Open, but ultimately, he couldn't complete it.
The Russian player, who was seeded 18th at the first major of the season, took on fellow seeded player Yoshihito Nishioka in the fourth round of the event. Up until that point, both had a very good tournament.
Nishioka beat Mikael Ymer, Dalibor Svrcina, and Mackenzie McDonald, who stunned Rafael Nadal, without losing a set. Khachanov, on the other hand, bested Bernabe Zapata Miralles, Jason Kubler, and Frances Tiafoe, losing two sets along the way.
It was expected to be a close match, but it was the exact opposite. Khachanov was the better player in the first set of the match, and he won it relatively easily, 6-0, in only 27 minutes of play.
In the second set, things got even crazier. Khachanov won 20 points in a row, and he completed what is called a "bronze set," as he lost only two points in the entire set.
He was dominating in an unprecedented way, as no player has ever beaten a seeded player 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 at a Grand Slam. At the start of the third set, Khachanov got very close to that feat.
He broke Nishioka's serve again, and at the peak of his dominance, Khachanov led 6-0, 6-0, 2-0 and 40-15. That's when the Japanese player finally won his first game in the match, and he almost turned it into a drama, as he had two break points to go into the lead in the third set.
That was ultimately decided in a tie-break, which Khachanov handled to win the match 6-0, 6-0, 7-6(4). After the match, he admitted that he was surprised by what was happening on the court.
"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."
In 1993, Sergi Bruguera defeated Thierry Champion 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 at Roland Garros, and 30 years later, it will still remain the last such win, as Khachanov didn't manage to match it.
