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Match Details
Fixture: (19) Karen Khachanov vs Alex Michelsen
Date: January 18, 2025
Tournament: Australian Open 2025
Round: Third Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Hard (Outdoor)
Prize Money: A$ 96,500,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - Eurosport | India - Sony Sports & Sony LIV
Karen Khachanov vs Alex Michelsen preview
19th-seeded Karen Khachanov will face USA's Alex Michelsen for a place in the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open.
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Former World No. 8 Khachanov had a rough start to his ATP Tour season earlier this month, crashing out in the second round to a resurgent Kei Nishikori in three sets. The Russian has given a good account of himself in Melbourne. After dominating France's Adrian Mannarino in the first round, he needed four sets to get the better of Canada's Diallo to reach the third round of the tournament.
Michelsen, meanwhile, got in some good preparation for this year's Australian Open, having reached the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International and the ASB Classic, respectively. This week, the American downed 11th seed and former runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets in his opener before beating local favorite James McCabe to reach the third round in Melbourne.
Karen Khachanov vs Alex Michelsen head-to-head
Khachanov and Michelsen have never played against each other on the ATP Tour so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Karen Khachanov vs Alex Michelsen odds
All bets sourced from BetMGM.
Karen Khachanov vs Alex Michelsen prediction
Khachanov has one of the best shot tolerance on his groundstrokes in the current men's field. The 28-year-old likes taking big cuts on the ball, especially on his lasso-whip forehand. The 6-foot-6 Russian also possesses a defensively strong backhand and a reliable serve, making him a force to reckon with.
Michelsen is also one of the biggest servers on the ATP Tour. While the 20-year-old has precise and aggressive groundstrokes, his agility allows him to stay on top of baseline rallies. He comes into this year's Happy Slam in top form, having reached the semifinals of the Next Gen ATP Finals last December.
The keys for both, in this match-up of similar playing styles, will be to exert their dominance during exchanges from the back of the court. Since Khachanov has a higher margin on his shots, achieving this will be relatively easier for him than Michelsen. Moreover, the 28-year-old is a former semifinalist in Melbourne (2023), which gives him enough advantage over his younger opponent.
Pick: Khachanov in four sets.
