No. 11 seed Karen Khachanov advanced to the quarterfinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto by defeating No. 8 seed Casper Ruud with a score of 6-4, 7-5. Khachanov achieved an impressive statistic, winning 29 of his 30 first-serve points, which translates to a remarkable 96.7 percent success rate. Throughout the match, he delivered seven aces among a total of 29 winners.
“My game plan was working, especially with the first serves,” Khachanov stated, acknowledging some nervous moments during the match. He expressed his relief at successfully breaking Ruud one last time to secure the win.
Ruud, who hails from Norway, also showcased his talent with 23 winners, including nine aces, but ultimately fell short against Khachanov.
Next, Khachanov will face 26th-seeded Alex Michelsen, who triumphed over fellow American Learner Tien with a score of 6-3, 6-3. Michelsen won 72.2 percent of his first-serve points and capitalized on Tien’s 20 unforced errors. “It feels really good, it’s uncharted territory from this point on,” said Michelsen, underlining their close friendship.
In the night session, top-seeded Alexander Zverev will compete against No. 14 Francisco Cerundolo, while No. 5 Holger Rune is set to face No. 18 Alexei Popyrin.
This tournament demonstrates the high level of competition and camaraderie among players, setting the stage for thrilling matches in the upcoming rounds.