Adelaide International 1 2023: Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match details
Fixture: (8) Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper
Tournament: Adelaide International 1 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Memorial Drive Tennis Centre, Adelaide, Australia
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt
Prize money: $642,735
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Tennis TV | Australia - 9Now
Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper preview
Eighth seed Karen Khachanov will take on British youngster Jack Draper in the second round of the 2023 Adelaide International 1.
Khachanov faced World No. 57 Pedro Cachin in the opening round. He took charge of the match from the get-go as he reeled off five consecutive games to claim the first set. The Russian continued to pile on the pressure on his opponent as he started the second set with a break of serve to go 2-0 up.
Cachin put an end to Khachanov's momentum as he won the next three games to get back on serve. He had a couple of break point opportunities in the eighth game to secure a lead but was unable to convert. It proved to be costly for him as the Russian broke his serve in the next game to lead 5-4.
Khachanov then closed out the proceedings with ease in the following game to win the match 6-2, 6-4.
Draper kicked off his campaign in Adelaide against Kwon Soon-woo. He started the match by breaking his opponent's serve. The Brit then needed to save three break points on his serve in the next game but came through eventually to build a 2-0 lead.
After another few games, Draper turned up the heat as he clinched three games in a row to capture the opening set. The second set was even more one-sided. After a hold of serve by Kwon, the Brit bagged the next six games to register an easy 6-2, 6-1 victory.
Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper head-to-head
Khachanov leads Draper 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 US Open when his opponent retired towards the end of the third set.
Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper odds
(Odds will be added once they're available)
Karen Khachanov vs Jack Draper prediction
Both commenced the new season with some convincing victories, especially Draper. He steamrolled past his opponent, winning twice as many points as him. His serving stats were impressive as well, firing eight aces and winning 89% of his first serve points.
Khachanov's serving numbers in the previous round were quite similar. Both were quite dominant during their return games as well. Draper's ball-striking was sharp and he never lost an ounce of intensity during the match. The duo are quite capable of going toe-to-toe with each other from the back of the court, so it'll be interesting to see who's the first to blink.
Draper gave Khachanov a tough fight during their previous meeting at the US Open but injured himself midway through the contest. The young Brit seemed a tad bit better in the first round and if he maintains that level, he's likely to come out on top this time.
Pick: Jack Draper to win in three sets.