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Match details
Fixture: Karen Khachanov vs Cristian Garin
Date: 3 October 2020
Tournament: Roland Garros 2020
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Red clay
Prize money: Approx. €38,000,000
Match timing: Approx. 3 pm CEST, 6.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - NBC Sports / Tennis Channel | India - Star Sports Select / Disney + Hotstar VIP | Europe - Eurosport | Chile - ESPN
Karen Khachanov vs Cristian Garin preview
15th seed Karen Khachanov will take on 20th seed Cristian Garin in the third round of the 2020 French Open on Saturday. And it goes without saying that this promises to be one of the most exciting match-ups in the Round of 32.
Both players are playing some good tennis at Roland Garros so far, but it is Garin who boasts of a superior season overall.
Garin has won two claycourt titles this season, at Cordoba and Rio de Janeiro. And at the Grand Slams, the 24-year-old has made 2020 a memorable year for himself by registering his best runs at Melbourne as well as New York.
Garin made the semis at the Hamburg Open last week, where he ran Stefanos Tsitsipas close before losing in three tight sets. At Roland Garros this week, the Chilean has overcome Philipp Kohlschreiber and Marc Polmans, requiring four sets in both matches.
His third-round appearance at this French Open is his career-best performance at a Major.
Karen Khachanov, meanwhile, has got the better of Jiri Vesely and Kamil Majchrzak so far in Paris. But the Russian has had a lukewarm 2020, to put it mildly.
Khachanov has done well in bits and parts but has struggled to maintain consistency in his game or results. Since the resumption of the tour, Khachanov has failed to get past the third round at the Cincinnati Masters, the US Open, the Rome Masters or the Hamburg Open.
Khachanov doesn’t boast of a great record on clay unlike Garin, but he did produce his career-best Grand Slam record at this very event last year. The Russian made the last eight before losing to eventual runner-up Dominic Thiem.
Karen Khachanov vs Cristian Garin head-to-head
Karen Khachanov and Cristian Garin have never played each other on tour, and therefore the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
Karen Khachanov vs Cristian Garin prediction
Cristian Garin is no doubt the better claycourt player in this matchup. However, there are a few weaknesses in his game that Khachanov will be keen to exploit.
The Chilean’s second serve is not the greatest. And if Khachanov is in the groove, he can get on the front foot by attacking that shot - especially off his sledgehammer-like forehand wing.
One of the main weapons in his arsenal, Khachanov's forehand is enjoying a lot more success than usual in the heavy conditions this year.
That said, Garin himself has racked up 125 winners in his two matches. The World No. 20 has a superb backhand, and he is no slouch with the forehand either. Garin will look to outlast Khachanov in the longer rallies by redirecting the Russian's power-packed groundstrokes with pace.
This match will test the tenacity and physicality of both players, which is where Garin will likely hold the edge. He doesn't suffer as many drops in concentration as Khachanov, and that should help him progress to the fourth round.
Prediction: Cristian Garin to win in five sets.
