Karen Khachanov is the first finalist at the Canada Masters in Toronto! The 11th seed faced the top seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-final and denied a match point in a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 triumph after two hours and 52 minutes.
Alexander fought hard but experienced another heartbreaking loss. He claimed the second set and forged a match point at 6-5 in the decider. Khachanov saved it and played better in the tie break to emerge at the top.
The German played passive tennis in the closing stages, as many times before, still battling with the nerves and issues he seems very hard to overcome.
Zverev served at 71% but did not use that effectively. He struggled behind the second serve but denied two of three break points. Karen offered his rival only two chances, losing serve in the closing stages of the second set.
World no. 3 landed 36 winners and 44 unforced errors. His rival stood on a 29-34 ratio and trailed in service winners and at the net. Khachanov reduced the deficit from the baseline and claimed three points more than the 2017 champion.
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The Russian took charge in the mid-range exchanges, building a 35-22 advantage and winning the match in that area. The 11th seed made a reliable start and provided five good holds in the opening set.
Karen secured a break in the fourth game of the duel after forcing Alexander's error following a 31-stroke exchange. The lower-ranked player served well in the remaining games and held after a deuce at 5-3 with a forced error to clinch the first part of the duel in 40 minutes.
They provided nine comfortable holds in the second set, with Khachanov serving to stay in it at 4-5. Zverev made a push on the return and generated three set points with a forehand down the line winner.
The German defended superbly on the first, welcoming the rival's forehand error and introducing a decider after an hour and 31 minutes. Alexander saved a break point in the first game of the final set.
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He repeated that at 2-2 and remained on the positive side. The returners had no chances in the next six games, with world no. 3 moving 6-5 up after a deuce. Karen served to stay in the match in game 12 and faced a match point.
Alexander squandered it with a poor return and allowed his rival to bring the game home and introduce a tie break. It started with three mini-breaks before Zverev landed a forehand drive-volley winner for 3-1.
The Russian pulled the mini-break back in the fifth point with a backhand winner and claimed two points on serve for 4-3. Zverev missed a forehand in the eighth point and fell 6-3 behind after netting a routine backhand.
Karen wasted the first match point before seizing the second at 6-4 with a service winner for his best Masters 1000 result in nearly seven years.
