Karen Khachanov vs Jannik Sinner Prediction | Head-to-Head | Stats: Miami Open 2021

It's a clash of two Next-Gen stars in Tennis as the 14th seed Karen Khachanov takes on the 21st seed Jannik Sinner in the third round of the Miami Open.

Khachanov comfortably defeated German Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 6-2 in the round of 64. The Russian smashed 5 aces, clinched 83% of his first-serve points, and also saved 5 out of 8 breakpoints. 

On the other hand, Sinner was too good for Frenchman Hugo Gaston thrashing him 6-2 6-2 in the second round. The Italian claimed 81% of his first-serve points, grabbed 67% of his second-serve points, and saved all the three breakpoints that he faced. 

"For the opening round, it was a good match from my side, we played outdoors with a little bit of wind, so it was not easy I think for both of us, I started well, put pressure immediately, which I think he felt a little bit," said Sinner after notching up a 63-minute win against Gaston. 

Head to Head Record

Both Khachanov and Sinner are tied 1-1 in the head to head record. Khachanov won a nail-biting five-setter in the first round of the US Open 2020. The Italian edged past the Russian in three sets and also saved a match point in the semifinals of the Great Ocean Road Open, Adelaide in February this year.

"I practice for having tough matches, and staying in difficult situations, it is going to be a tough match for sure for both of us, I know him quite well, he knows me quite well, it is not going to be easy for us," opined Sinner ready for the big challenge against Khachanov. 

Battle of two young guns: Like their previous encounters, the Sinner vs Khachanov match will go the distance. Image Credits - Getty Images

Key Insights

• The winner in both the matches that Sinner and Khachanov have played against each other have been decided by a tiebreak in the final set.
• When the Miami Open was last held in 2019, Sinner was outside the top 300 of the rankings, now he is at the 31st spot.
• Khachanov has a 2-4 win-loss record in the history of the Miami Open.
• Khachanov who was seeded 10th lost in the second round of the last edition of the Miami Open. He was defeated by Australian player Jordan Thompson in straight sets.
• Sinner is making his debut in the Miami Open.
• Sinner (aged 19) is the youngest player in the top 100 of the ATP rankings.
• Both Khachanov and Sinner are right-handers with two-handed backhands.
• Khachanov is playing in the Miami Masters for the fifth time after making his debut in 2014.
• Khachanov has a 9-4 win-loss record this season.

Game Analysis

Sinner controls the pace of the rallies against his opponents with the clever use of the drop shot. The Italian can hit a flurry of winners when he gets going in full flow. He can unsettle opponents with his looping forehand but must improve his backhand return to avoid making unforced errors in the long rallies. Sinner also needs to tighten his inconsistent netplay.

Khachanov has also been playing doubles alongside compatriot Andrey Rublev to get more match practice in Miami. He is an aggressive player and hits powerful groundstrokes from the baseline. The Russian can effectively finish off points at the net. Khachanov can close out the rallies with his deep forehand. 

While Sinner has been in good form this year with one ATP title in Adelaide. He has been very consistent having made it at least to the quarterfinals in the tournament that he plays in.

The first set will be crucial for both players to take advantage of the momentum. In this battle of power-hitters, Khachanov has more experience than the Italian. However, Sinner's all-round game and the ability to bounce back from tough situations gives him the edge. He will benefit from the medium-pace conditions and comfort of handling the heavy ball and high bounce. 

Prediction - Jannik Sinner to win in three sets

Featured Image Credits - First Sportz