Wimbledon 2021: Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match Details

Fixture: (25) Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe

Date: 2 July 2021

Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon

Round: Third round (Round of 32)

Venue: London, Great Britain

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Grass

Prize money: £17,066,000

Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP

Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe preview

25th seed Karen Khachanov will take on the unseeded Frances Taifoe in an exciting third-round clash at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships on Friday.

Having made a poor start to the grasscourt season, Khachanov finally looks to have found some form in his matches here at the All England Club. The Russian had to battle hard for his first win over Mackenzie McDonald but looked much stronger in the second round.

Against an in-form Tiafoe though, the 25th seed faces his biggest test of the Championships yet.

Frances Tiafoe

Tiafoe opened his week with a stellar upset win over third seed Steafnos Tsitsipas. The American's strong serve and mental toughness saw him through some tight situations, and he will be keen to build on his promising start.

Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe head-to-head

Karen Khachanov leads Frances Tiafoe in their current head-to-head with a 1-0 margin. The two last met at the All England Club in 2018, with the Russian coming out on top in a hard-fought five-set battle.

Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe prediction

Karen Khachanov will look to make a return to the Wimbledon second week.

This is a fairly well-balanced matchup, given that both Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe possess similarly power-packed games that have worked well on the courts here this week.

Khachanov's best run at Wimbledon was in 2018, when he reached the last-16 stage. Incidentally, he had beaten Tiafoe in the third round to book his place in the second week back then, and will be hopeful of a repeat of that performance.

Tiafoe has been hugely effective on serve so far this week, and didn't face a single break point throughout his last match against Vasek Pospsisil. That, coupled with the American's newfound aggression on return, is likley to put a lot of pressure on Khachanov's serve.

The Russian will need to ensure that he doesn't allow his opponent to run away with too big of a lead. Tiafoe is prone to occasional lapses in concentration, and Khachanov will have to be on the lookout for any such opportunities.

This could well be headed for a close finish, but Khachanov's greater big-match experience should help him prevail in the end.

Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in five sets.