Wimbledon 2021: Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match Details
Fixture: (25) Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe
Date: 2 July 2021
Tournament: The Championships, Wimbledon
Round: Third round (Round of 32)
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
Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe preview
25th seed Karen Khachanov will take on the unseeded Frances Taifoe in an exciting third-round clash at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships on Friday.
Having made a poor start to the grasscourt season, Khachanov finally looks to have found some form in his matches here at the All England Club. The Russian had to battle hard for his first win over Mackenzie McDonald but looked much stronger in the second round.
Against an in-form Tiafoe though, the 25th seed faces his biggest test of the Championships yet.
Tiafoe opened his week with a stellar upset win over third seed Steafnos Tsitsipas. The American's strong serve and mental toughness saw him through some tight situations, and he will be keen to build on his promising start.
Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe head-to-head
Karen Khachanov leads Frances Tiafoe in their current head-to-head with a 1-0 margin. The two last met at the All England Club in 2018, with the Russian coming out on top in a hard-fought five-set battle.
Karen Khachanov vs Frances Tiafoe prediction
This is a fairly well-balanced matchup, given that both Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe possess similarly power-packed games that have worked well on the courts here this week.
Khachanov's best run at Wimbledon was in 2018, when he reached the last-16 stage. Incidentally, he had beaten Tiafoe in the third round to book his place in the second week back then, and will be hopeful of a repeat of that performance.
Tiafoe has been hugely effective on serve so far this week, and didn't face a single break point throughout his last match against Vasek Pospsisil. That, coupled with the American's newfound aggression on return, is likley to put a lot of pressure on Khachanov's serve.
The Russian will need to ensure that he doesn't allow his opponent to run away with too big of a lead. Tiafoe is prone to occasional lapses in concentration, and Khachanov will have to be on the lookout for any such opportunities.
This could well be headed for a close finish, but Khachanov's greater big-match experience should help him prevail in the end.
Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in five sets.