KAREN Khachanov staged a remarkable comeback to defeat top seed Alexander Zverev in the ATP Toronto Masters semi-finals.
The Russian triumphed 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) after saving a match point in the deciding set.
Khachanov will now face American Ben Shelton, who overpowered Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-3 in the other semi-final.
Shelton secured his first back-to-back wins over top 10 opponents, showcasing his growing confidence.
Khachanov, seeded 11th, admitted the match was physically and mentally gruelling.
“I had to dig deep and try my best,“ he said after the nearly three-hour battle.
Zverev struggled with 44 unforced errors, while Khachanov struck 29 winners.
The German’s backhand error at 6-6 in the final set proved decisive.
Khachanov reflected on his past losses to Zverev, including the Tokyo Olympic final.
“Today was tough, but I’m happy things went my way,“ he added.
Shelton, ranked seventh, dominated Fritz with precise shot-making.
A brief delay due to technical issues did not disrupt his rhythm.
Fritz double-faulted on match point, smashing his racquet in frustration.
Shelton praised his own improvements in execution and confidence.
“Beating two top 10 players back-to-back is huge for me,“ he said.
The final promises an exciting clash between Khachanov’s resilience and Shelton’s rising form. – AFP
