{"id":1146,"date":"2023-01-27T06:39:54","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T07:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2025-06-20T11:02:51","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T11:02:51","slug":"russian-title-hopes-ended-at-australian-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marinemalawi.com\/index.php\/2023\/01\/27\/russian-title-hopes-ended-at-australian-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian title hopes ended at Australian Open"},"content":{"rendered":"
Karen Khachanov lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in their semifinal in Melbourne<\/strong><\/p>\n Russia\u2019s remaining hope of men\u2019s title success at the Australian Open came to an end as Karen Khachanov suffered defeat in a four-set battle against Greek rival Stefanos Tsitsipas in their semifinal on Friday.<\/p>\n Khachanov was edged out in the opening set on a tiebreak and lost the second set 4-6 as Tsitsipas took control of the contest at Rod Laver Arena. The Greek also found himself a break up and serving for the match in the third set, before Khachanov threatened a comeback by recapturing the break of serve and winning a tiebreak after saving two match points.<\/p>\n But third seed Tsitsipas again imposed himself in the fourth set with an early break, going on to seal victory 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 in a match spanning three hours and 21 minutes.<\/p>\n For 18th seed Khachanov the result means back-to-back disappointment in Grand Slam semifinals after he lost at the same stage of the US Open in September.<\/p>\n Despite the defeat, the 26-year-old can nonetheless reflect on another strong run at a major tournament, with Khachanov becoming just the tenth active player on the ATP Tour to have reached at least the quarterfinal stage of all four Grand Slams.<\/p>\n Khachanov\u2019s performance will also help his push back towards the world\u2019s top ten, having reached a career-high position of eight in the ATP rankings back in 2019.<\/p>\n Tsitsipas, meanwhile, extended his head-to-head record against Khachanov to 6-0, but more importantly is into a second Grand Slam final of his career.<\/p>\n Awaiting the 24-year-old in Sunday\u2019s showpiece in Melbourne could be Novak Djokovic \u2013 the man who defeated Tsitsipas in five sets in his maiden appearance in a Grand Slam final at the French Open in 2021.<\/p>\n Djokovic, a record nine-time Australian Open champion, will be heavily fancied to progress when he plays unseeded American Tommy Paul in the second men\u2019s semifinal later on Friday.<\/p>\n Should fourth seed Djokovic and Tsitsipas meet in the final, it would also be a direct battle between the pair for the world number one spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9\u00a0 Cameron Spencer \/ Getty Images <\/span>
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