Astana Open 2022: Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (9) Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov.
Date: October 6, 2022.
Tournament: Astana Open 2022.
Round: Second round (Round of 16).
Venue: Astana, Kazakhstan.
Category: ATP 500.
Surface: Indoor hardcourt.
Prize money: $1,900,000.
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports.
Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov preview
2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic will take on World No. 18 Karen Khachanov in the second round of the 2022 Astana Open on Thursday.
Cilic took on Oscar Otte in the first round here. He let go of a comfortable 4-2 lead in the opening set as his opponent fought back to get back on serve. With the Croat serving to stay in the set at 6-5, he dropped serve once again to lose the set.
Both players remained steady on serve in the second set, though Cilic did have three break points in the seventh game which he failed to convert. In the ensuing tie-break, the Croat needed four set points to clinch the set and take the match to a decider.
Cilic jumped to a 3-0 lead in the final set and put Otte under constant pressure during his remaining service games. With the German serving to stay in the match at 5-2, he lost serve once again as the former US Open champion completed a 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-2 comeback victory.
@cilic_marin digs deep to come from a set down to beat Otte 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-2!
Fighting spirit 💯
ðŸ‡ðŸ‡· @cilic_marin digs deep to come from a set down to beat Otte 5-7, 7-6(4), 6-2!
The No. 9 seed faces Khachanov in round two 🔜
@ktf_kz | #AstanaOpen https://t.co/Q6AXT2QHXx
Karen Khachanov commenced his challenge in Astana against Maxime Cressy in the first round. Both players refused to cede any ground at the start of the opening set. The Russian got the decisive break in the ninth game and served out the set in the following game.
The duo put up a commanding display of serve in the second set as well. Cressy had a set point on his opponent's serve in the 10th game, but failed to close it out. The set soon went into a tie-break, with the American gaining the upper hand to go 2-0 up.
However, Khachanov stepped up his game as he stormed back to claim the tie-break and win the match 6-4, 7-6(3).
Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov head-to-head
The two have faced off five times before this, with Cilic leading 3-2 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Canadian Open in straight sets.
Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Marin Cilic vs Karen Khachanov prediction
Khachanov was rather solid in the first round, while Cilic staged a good comeback after letting the opening set slip from his grasp. Both are exceptionally good servers and prefer to be proactive in their approach. Each will be looking to gain the upper hand in rallies right off the bat.
The two should be quite familiar with each other's games by now, as this will be their fourth meeting this year. Khachanov won the first couple, but Cilic won the last one in commanding fashion. The Russian failed to make any inroads on his opponent's serve back then, and will need to do better this time around.
Cilic is in pretty good form at the moment, coming into this tournament on the heels of a runner-up finish in Tel Aviv. His consistency compared to Khachanov should give him an edge, but it won't be surprising to see the Russian emerge victorious either as it appears to be a fairly balanced contest.
Pick: Marin Cilic to win in three sets.