Wimbledon 2021: Denis Shapovalov vs Karen Khachanov preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (10) Denis Shapovalov vs (25) Karen Khachanov
Date: 7 July 2021
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: London, Great Britain
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize money: £17,066,000
Live telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - BBC TV & Radio | India - Star Sports / Disney+ Hotstar VIP
Denis Shapovalov vs Karen Khachanov preview
Denis Shapovalov and Karen Khachanov came through contrasting wins on Monday to book their spots in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.
Shapovalov, who took out Andy Murray in the third round, looked convincing in his dismissal of eighth seed Roberto Bautista Agut. The Canadian came up with a supreme performance - especially on return - to close out a 6-1, 6-3, 7-5 win, and will now be eyeing a first Grand Slam semifinal.
Khachanov also managed to match his best performance at a Grand Slam by reaching the last eight, but he was made to work extremely hard for his spot. The Russian came through a remarkable battle of wills against America's Sebastian Korda, prevailing 10-8 in the fifth set.
Khachanov didn't have the best of starts to the grasscourt season, but his power-packed game has come alive at the All England Club. Needless to say, he could well pose a few problems for Shapovalov on Wednesday.
Denis Shapovalov vs Karen Khachanov head-to-head
Denis Shapovalov leads Karen Khachanov in their current head-to-head by a margin of 1-0. The Canadian won a tight three-set match in their only previous meeting, at the 2019 Davis Cup.
Denis Shapovalov vs Karen Khachanov prediction
Both Denis Shapovalov and Karen Khachanov have played some great tennis this week. And given their similarly power-packed games, fans could be in for another high-quality encounter on Wednesday.
Shapovalov has spent significantly fewer hours of the court so far, and will enter this match the fresher of the two. That said, the youngster hasn't really been pushed out of his comfort zone as much either.
Against a battle-hardened Khachanov, the contrast could be quite sharp. The Russian has found answers to everything that his opponents have thrown at him, and held his nerve in the big moments.
Both men will look to get the first strike in, and it could all come down to either player's ability to maintain their level for longer. And that's where Khachanov's experience of playing in tight matches this week could give him a slight edge.
Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in five sets.