World No. 24 Karen Khachanov of Russia commented on his decisive victory over Francesco Passaro in the third round of the Rome Masters, where he secured the win with a score of 6-3, 6-0.
Reflecting on the match, Khachanov noted a significant turnaround:
“I was losing 0-3 with a break against me, and then I went on to win 12 consecutive games – that sequence is a first for me in many years on the Tour. I definitely started poorly, and he was really fired up, boosted by the home crowd. I wasn`t immediately in the match; I was struggling to find my rhythm.
“Once I finally won a game and managed to break back, things really clicked, and I found my game. I could see he started to get tight, getting more and more nervous. That`s something that sometimes happens in tennis – suddenly you`re unsure what to do.
“I`m very pleased that I managed to withstand that initial pressure, show this level of performance, and get the result. I`m through to the next round, I have a great match behind me which is a significant advantage – now the focus shifts to the next opponent.”
When asked about his overall form during the current clay court season, Khachanov stated:
“There is always room for improvement. My team and I constantly discuss aspects we can refine from one tournament to the next. How you feel physically can change daily. For now, I feel like I`m gradually building rhythm by playing several matches in a row. I`ve been working towards this since the start of the year, especially after having had some very close matches and tough losses against top-ranked players.
“This is ultimately what I`m aiming for – finding and maintaining this rhythm and form, progressing through the tournament here in Rome, and then focusing on subsequent events.”
On the topic of playing in Rome, he shared his positive experience:
“Yes, the stands are full, and the city itself is wonderful – it`s one of my favorites. It`s a beautiful tournament, and so far, things are going very well. I`m here with my wife and sons. They don`t get to travel with me on Tour very often, so it`s an added bonus and joy to relax with them after matches, switch off from tennis for a bit, and then return to preparing for the next match.”
