Cincinnati 2023: Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Western & Southern Open

Match details

Fixture: (11) Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray

Tournament: Western & Southern Open 2023

Round: First round (Round of 64)

Date: August 13, Sunday

Venue: Cincinnati, US

Category: ATP Masters 1000

Surface: Hard

Prize money: $6,600,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - Sportsnet, TVA Sports | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - Sony Liv

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Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray preview

The top two names on the men's tour who have been on their comeback trails in recent weeks will lock horns for a spot in the second round of the 2023 Cincinnati Open

Khachanov, the 11th seed in this year's edition, last played a professional match in the 2023 French Open quarterfinals. The Russian lost the encounter to Novak Djokovic, but it was the injury that followed, which worsened his woes.

Despite not having played for over two months, Khachanovc boasts a respectable 23-11 win-loss record for the season.

Murray withdrew from his last tournament.

Murray, meanwhile, will come into the contest looking to move past the disappointment of going out rather unceremoniously at the Canadian Open in Toronto. He looked rather solid in his wins over Lorenzo Sonego and Max Purcell before handing out a walkover to Jannik Sinner.

The Brit has not played a lot of tennis in the lead-up to the tournament in Cincinnati. If fully fit, he could well ask a few questions of Khachanov.

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Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray head-to-head

Murray leads Khachanov in their current head-to-head with a slender 1-0 margin. Their only previous meeting came at the 2017 French Open, with the Briton winning in straight sets.

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Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Sets
Karen Khachanov
Andy Murray

(Odds to be updated when they are released)

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Karen Khachanov vs Andy Murray prediction

Khachanov will be playing in his first tournament in three months.

The opening-round clash pits Karen Khachanov's big hitting against Andy Murray's timeless defense and scrambling abilities.

The quick courts in Cincinnati should bolster Khachanov's big serve. A lot, however, will depend on how quickly the Russian can bounce back from his break. He has not played a competitive match in two months and may look a little rusty.

Against an opponent as clinical as Murray, the same could come back and haunt Khachanov. The Brit put in an astonishing 96% of his first serves during his last match against Max Purcell.

If he can continue to play without an injury concern, Murray could well give his opponent a run for his money.

Prediction: Khachanov to win in three sets