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Match Details
Fixture: (3) Karen Khachanov vs Zizou Bergs
Date: 22 October 2020
Tournament: ATP European Open
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Antwerp, Belgium
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €394,800
Match timing: Not before 6.30 pm CEST, 10 pm IST
Live telecast: United States - Tennis Channel
Karen Khachanov vs Zizou Bergs preview
Third seed Karen Khachanov will take on wildcard Zizou Bergs in the second round of the European Open in Antwerp on Thursday.
Khachanov has blown hot and cold all season, and he is yet to reach a semifinal since the tour's resumption.
The Russian was defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut in the third round in Cincinnati and by Alex de Minaur at the same stage in the US Open.
Khachanov failed to make much of an impact on the European clay either, bowing out early in both Hamburg and Rome, before losing to World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the fourth round at Roland Garros.
The 24-year-old's struggles continued in St. Petersburg, where he lost in straight-sets to Milos Raonic in the quarterfinal.
Given his recent form, Khachanov could be in for a stern test against 21-year-old Belgian Zizou Bergs, who won his first-ever ATP main draw match in the first round against Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Karen Khachanov vs Zizou Bergs head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Karen Khachanov and Zizou Bergs, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0. There is a massive gulf in the two players' rankings with Khachanov ranked 17, 511 spots higher than Bergs.
Karen Khachanov vs Zizou Bergs prediction
Karen Khachanov is the overwhelming favorite, but Zizou Bergs will fancy his chances of pulling off an upset given the Russian's poor recent form. Since beating Novak Djokovic to win the Paris Masters in 2018, Khachanov has failed to lift a single title on the ATP tour.
Khachanov will, as always, rely on his big first serve and forehand to take control of rallies and win points quickly. If Bergs is to cause an upset, he will have to find a way to make inroads into Khachanov's service games and force the Russian into errors by extending rallies.
Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in straight sets.
