After missing the past two years, Karen Khachanov made a winning return to Wimbledon on Wednesday but in unfortunate circumstances.
The 21st seed was unable to play in 2022 due to the banning of Russian players from participating as a result of the war in Ukraine. Then in 2023, he was forced to withdraw after suffering a stress fracture and a partial fracture in his sacrum S1 bone. A frustrating situation for the Russian who reached the quarter-final in his previous appearance at The All England Club.
In his latest match, Khachanov was leading compatriot Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(11), 2-0, before he retired from the match due to injury. An unfortunate situation but still a boost for the world No.22.
Following his match, Ubitennis spoke to the 28-year-old about his form, the mental side of tennis, skipping the Olympics and why he is still taking extra measures to protect his body after last year’s injury.
UBITENNIS: Congratulations on the win, even though it ended in unfortunate circumstances.
KHACHANOV: I must say, I’m happy with the outcome because I won the match.
There was, I think, one situation when he fell down in the tiebreak of the third set, which was very intense. They were really, close points and extremely tough.
I’m super happy I could finish finally this tiebreak of the third set.
I saw that he started to have some difficulties running to the right side, to the forehand.
I just hope that he didn’t get hurt. badly. I hope all he has is some pain but it doesn’t get worse.
UBITENNIS: How would you rate your current form on the grass?
KHACHANOV: The performance itself, was good. Sometimes the question is how you win those important moments, important sets. I’m happy that I could get the win on grass, especially in Wimbledon after two years that I didn’t play on this surface.
I will seek to keep improving and play better. But at the same time, I admit that it’s a good win.
UBITENNIS: What adjustments do you want to make?
KHACHANOV: I would say it’s with the return and in the rallies with some balls. Trying to find the balance between defending and playing, let’s say, extremely aggressive.
How to take each ball and treat it differently.
UBITENNIS: Being a former Grand Slam semi-finalist, how do you manage your expectations at these events?
KHACHANOV: I said it many times. You try to give your best tennis, especially at the slams and at the biggest tournaments.
Right now I’m just really focusing on each day and each match because I just want to try to get better.
The last few weeks I was not having the results I wanted. So that’s why now I just don’t try even to think further. I just try to stay confident with the game that I’m seeking to (do).
But at the same time focus more on simple things and do not go further with with my thoughts.
UBITENNIS: So it’s more about working on the mental side of your game?
KHACHANOV: It’s all connected…
What are you thinking?
How is your mind working?
How do you deal with stress?
How do you play? Aggressive. Defensive.
It’s all connected.
That’s why sometimes you are a little bit out of the out of the zone. That’s why you try to put this puzzle all together, that everything is functioning in the right direction.
And I’m not talking only about the results, winning or losing.
I’m talking about the the way you feel, the way you accept mistakes, the way you push forward, how you bounce back and this whole, drama that you have in your daily matches.
So that’s why I said that I try, to put everything in order to be better.
UBITENNIS: You have decided to miss the Olympic Games this year. What are the reasons for doing so?
KHACHANOV: There are a few things I would say.
The main is with my schedule and with the calendar, and due to my health after I was injured last year, I didn’t play the whole summer.
That’s why, unfortunately, this year I had to make this tough decision. To change from grass court to clay just for one event, and then go straight to the hard courts without any preparation. I just felt that it would be, tough for for the body.
I still have sometimes issues here and there with my injury from last year.
UBITENNIS: So are you suffering from long-term issues?
KHACHANOV: It’s more of a general issue. That’s why I have to work a lot with my physical coach and with my physio to try to kind of prevent that.
