Australian Open 2022: Karen Khachanov vs Benjamin Bonzi preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (28) Karen Khachanov vs Benjamin Bonzi

Date: 19 January 2022

Tournament: Australian Open 2022

Round: Second round (Round of 64)

Venue: Melbourne, Australia

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor Hardcourt

Match timing: 3 p.m. local time, 4 a.m. GMT, 9.30 a.m. IST

Prize money: $75,000,000

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Six, Sony Liv

Karen Khachanov vs Benjamin Bonzi preview

Karen Khahchanov will take on Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi in a second-round encounter at the 2022 Australian Open on Wednesday.

Khachanov, the 28th seed, opened his campaign with a topsy-turvy win over American Denis Kudla. The Russian overcame a slow start to the match to prevail 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(2) after two hours and 29 minutes of play.

Bonzi at the 2022 Australian Open.

Bonzi, meanwhile, picked up his first Australian Open main-draw win with a straightforward victory over Germany's Peter Gojowczyk.

The Frenchman came into the season having won a number of matches at the Challenger level last year and is currently at a near-career-high ranking of No. 63. Needless to say, he will enter the contest brimming with confidence.

Karen Khachanov vs Benjamin Bonzi head-to-head

Karen Khachanov leads Benjamin Bonzi 1-0 in the head-to-head. The Russian took home a tight three-set win over his opponent at last year's Lyon Open.

Karen Khachanov vs Benjamin Bonzi prediction

Khachanov recently made the 2022 Adelaide International final

Karen Khachanov started his season with a finals appearance at the Adelaide International and will be looking to build on the run.

Khachanov possesses a powerful game -- built around a big serve and strong groundstrokes off both wings -- that is well-suited for the hardcourts of Melbourne. His serve proved to be a major weapon in the opening match against Kudla, as he posted 17 aces, while also winning an impressive 87% of first-serve points.

Benjamin Bonzi employs a gamestyle not too different from that of his opponent. The Frenchman, in fact, topped Khachanov in both ace count and first-serve winning percentage in his first match and will be looking to deliver a similar performance.

Given the duo's reliance on big serves, this match could well turn into an ace fest. Neither player enjoys indulging in long-drawn-out rallies, so the advantage is likely to lie with the one who can find a way to get the first strike in. Considering Khachanov's recent results, he looks to be better equipped to do that.

Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in four sets

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