Last Update: January 22, 2023, 11:43 IST
Australian Open: Karen Khachanov and Yoshihito Nishioka (AP)
Karen Khachanov beats Yoshihito Nishioka 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) to reach his first Australian Open quarter-final
A dominant Karen Khachanov won the first 14 games before reaching his first Australian Open quarter-final over outclass Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan in straight sets on Sunday.
The Russian 18th seed defeated his racket-smashing opponent 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) at the John Cain Arena.
The 31-year-old Nishioka was so out of touch in the opening two sets that he won just 13 points.
In set two, he managed only two points in six games in an embarrassing loss.
Khachanov appeared on track to become only the sixth player in Grand Slam history, and the first since 1993, to record a triple bagel win – 6–0, 6–0, 6–0 – before Nishioka eventually took the 15th Won the game. From the crowd
The win took her into the last eight at a Grand Slam for the fifth time. His best result was reaching the semi-finals of the US Open last year, where he lost to Casper Rudd.
He will next face either 29th seed Sebastian Korda of America or 10th seed Hubert Hercz of Poland.
“The first two sets, I didn’t know what was happening,” he said. From beginning to end.
“It’s not easy to win with this score, three sets, but I’m playing well and really happy,” he said.
The Russian, a former world number eight, has won four career titles on hard courts, and was too good for Nishioka.
He broke the Japanese star twice more in straights as Nishioka fought back with his first serve and Khachanov attacked on his second serve.
Nishioka could only serve three winners in the opening set while committing 12 unforced errors in the 26-minute grueling match.
Things did not improve for him in the next, with Khachanov breaking twice early to go 4–0 ahead, with Nishioka destroying his racket in frustration by repeatedly smashing it on the ground.
The Olympic silver medalist cruised through the set in just 20 minutes, but with a rare triple bagel on the cards, Nishioka took the lead in set three.
He broke and then held on to the delight of the crowd before finally succumbing in a tense tiebreak.
read all Latest sports news Here
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)