Mubadala WTC: Karen Khachanov downs Dominic Thiem to face Novak Djokovic
World no. 11 Karen Khachanov has made the best possible debut at Mubadala World Tennis Championship, beating the last year's semi-finalist Dominic Thiem 7-6, 6-3 in an hour and 20 minutes to reach the semis and set the semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic whom he beat in the last match of the season in Paris when he lifted the first Masters 1000 trophy. Karen scored a commanding win over Dominic Thiem in Paris and he was the better player on the court today as well, losing serve twice in the opening set but finding the way to win it in the tie break before sailing through set number two to bring the win home and stay on the title course.
Thiem saved a break point in the opening game of the match but Karen found the way to break him in game three after a backhand cross court winner that pushed him 2-1 up. Serving at 3-2, the Russian wasted two game points and suffered a break after a huge forehand error, bringing Thiem back to the positive side of the scoreboard. The Austrian saved a break point in the following game with a service winner and he broke Khachanov at love a few minutes later following another poor forehand from the Russian who was now 5-3 down after losing the last four games.
It was Thiem's turn to play a poor service game in the decisive moment, getting broken at love after a forehand error that kept Karen in the set. The set went into a tie break after three good holds on both sides and it was Karen who served better in the breaker, scoring two mini-breaks to win it 7-3 when Dominic failed to make a return in the 10th point. Carried by this outcome, the Russian was untouchable in his service games in set number two, making five easy holds and securing a break in game two when Thiem's forehand landed long. Karen sealed the deal with four winners in game nine, thrilled with the way he played in the second set and with a chance to face Novak Djokovic tomorrow.
Quarter-final result:
Karen Khachanov (RUS) vs Dominic Thiem (AUT) 7-6(3) 6-3
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2CCVulD
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