Karen Khachanov receives praise from former Andre Agassi coach after Andrey Rublev upset in Madrid Open
Brad Gilbert, Andre Agassi's former coach, praised Karen Khachanov after the Russian stunned Andrey Rublev in the 2023 Madrid Open Round of 16.
Karen Khachanov is having a good run in the ongoing ATP 1000 tournament. He beat Thiago Monteiro and Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the Round of 16, where he faced compatriot Andrey Rublev.
He then advanced to the quarterfinals with ease, defeating doubles partner Rublev 7-6 (8), 6-4. Khachanov's victory over the World No.5 was his first win on clay against a top-10 opponent since 2019.
Following this, Brad Gilbert heaped praise on the Russian on Twitter. He stated that Khachanov has been putting up big numbers under the radar and is definitely a silent threat since the 2022 US Open.
"Big win for silent K taking out Rubles to reach quarters of Madrid, the nicname has been perfect for him since @usopen last yea, been posting big results under radar and u forget he is still in the draw," he wrote.
Big win for silent K taking out Rubles to reach quarters of Madrid, the nicname has been perfect for him since @usopen last yea, been posting big results under radar and u forget he is still in the draw ✍️ @KYevgeni 💪👌😎🎾👍👊
"It’s always tricky to play against each other" - Karen Khachanov on squaring off against Andrey Rublev
Following the Round of 16 match, Karen Khachanov stated in an on-court interview that playing against Andrey Rublev is always "tricky." He explained that this is because they are well aware of each other's tactics due to years of training together.
"It’s always tricky to play against each other because on one side we know each other's games perfectly because we’ve been training together for so many years," he said.
He added that while they are good friends, they are rivals on the court, so he took advantage of every opportunity and won.
"At the same time we know what to expect, but also of course a bit nervous to play against each other. We are good friends, but on the court we are rivals. It was all a matter of keeping the serve, and if you have any chances on the return, go for it. That’s what I did," he said.
The 26-year-old went on to say that he is just happy to have won and will need some time to process it.
"At the end of the day, this match is over. We need to have some time maybe to absorb it. That’s how it was in Monte-Carlo. The day before we played doubles, we lost a very tight match, and then the next day he beat me. After one day, life goes on. He’s doing well this year, I’m doing well, I’m just happy," Karen Khachanov said.
Khachanov will now face Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-final on Wednesday, May 3.