World No. 25 Karen Khachanov commented on his third-round loss to Tommy Paul at the Madrid Masters tournament, where he was defeated with a score of 3/6, 6/3, 2/6.
Question: A comeback seemed close. How close did it feel?
Karen Khachanov: I didn`t immediately feel like my game was there; the required level wasn`t present at first. However, in the second set, I managed to secure a break and turn things around. Unfortunately, in the third set, I couldn`t capitalize on break points during crucial moments, even on shots I had prepared for. I knew my opponent frequently uses a serve out wide, but I failed to return it into the court twice, which shifted the momentum in his favor. After that, his serve really started clicking: serve, serve, serve, serve. And ironically, my serve wasn`t working at all. It feels nonsensical, but these things happen sometimes.
Question: Broadly speaking, there are two mindsets: `I need to change something` and `I need to keep doing the same – and everything will fall into place.` Which stage are you currently in?
Karen Khachanov: All the matches I`ve lost recently have been close encounters. Reaching the semifinals in Barcelona is a better result, indicating some progress. Perhaps I need to focus on adjusting my game more effectively and accurately *during* matches. Also, you`re not playing against inexperienced opponents; even with a good level of play, you can still lose. The dynamic of my game compared to last week feels better, so I probably just need to continue on this path. Sometimes the level of play is quite volatile, even within a single match. You might play poorly and win, and then play brilliantly in two consecutive matches and not. So, the key is to approach it more calmly and maintain a more positive outlook.
Khachanov also shared his experience regarding the power outage that occurred at the tournament the previous day.
Karen Khachanov: The electricity cut out when I was in the gym warming up. Initially, nobody understood what was happening. We went to the court, and after finishing the warm-up there, it became clear that the issue wasn`t confined just to the stadium. Everyone was in a state of confusion; nobody had ever encountered a situation like that before. It felt similar to the initial days of the pandemic – you`re unsure of what`s happening or how to react. Fortunately, they managed to resolve it within about 10 hours, which was good.
Question: Did your phone battery last long enough to stay connected during that period?
Karen Khachanov: My battery held up, but the network coverage wasn`t always reliable. There were moments I could catch a signal and send messages to my wife. Sometimes I used my Russian number, other times my coach`s phone. It felt like we were back to relying on SMS messages. I was almost ready to send a carrier pigeon if I couldn`t connect! But the crucial thing in such situations is not to panic. Without phones, people immediately start fussing about how to communicate and what to do. You need to be prepared for anything, even something like this.
