St. Petersburg Open 2021: Karen Khachanov vs Adrian Mannarino preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: (6) Karen Khachanov vs Adrian Mannarino

Date: 27 October 2021

Tournament: St. Petersburg Open 2021

Round: First round (Round of 32)

Venue: St. Petersburg, Russia

Category: ATP 250

Surface: Indoor hardcourt

Prize money: $863,705

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video

Karen Khachanov vs Adrian Mannarino preview

Karen Khachanov will open his 2021 St. Petersburg Open campaign against Adrian Mannarino in the first round on Wednesday.

Khachanov, the sixth seed, is coming off a semifinal run at the recently-concluded Kremlin Cup, where the Russian fell to countryman Aslan Karatsev.

Adrian Mannarino at the Kremlin Cup.

Mannarino also had a successful outing in Moscow, scoring the seventh top-10 win of his career by beating top seed Andrey Rublev in the second round.

The Frenchman, however, lost his very next match against Ricardas Berankis. Nevertheless, the win over Rublev would have given him plenty of confidence and he would fancy his chances of taking down another Russian in the shape of Khachanov.

Karen Khachanov vs Adrian Mannarino head-to-head

Karen Khachanov leads Adrian Mannarino in their current head-to-head by a comfortable 3-1 margin. The Frenchman won their first encounter way back in 2015, but Khachanov has dominated the rivalry since.

Karen Khachanov vs Adrian Mannarino prediction

Khachanov will be a firm favorite heading into this contest.

Given the lopsided head-to-head, Karen Khachanov will be the firm favorite heading into this contest. The Russian will, however, need to guard against complacency as Mannarino has the tools to trouble the best of players.

Mannarino's best results have come in recent seasons; six of his seven top-10 wins have come in the last four years and he has developed a reputation for being an upset artist.

Khachanov is by far the more powerful player off the ground, but Mannarino's flat shots off both wings could cause the Russian some problems early on. The Frenchman also has the ability to change the pace of rallies with deft slices.

But if Khachanov can maintain a steady level, he should be able to hit through Mannarino and come away with the win.

Prediction: Karen Khachanov to win in three sets