Khachanov and Nishikori renew their rivalry at Strasbourg
This round of 16 clash between two veterans on the ATP circuit, Karen Khachanov and Kei Nishikori, promises to be a treat for spectators. These two have met multiple times before, which means they are pretty familiar with one another’s game.
A win here will put one of them into the quarter-finals to play against either Sebastian Ofner or Nuno Borges. The Geneva Open will be the pair’s last chance to prepare ahead of the French Open next week.
Interestingly, the pair started off the new year when they faced each other in a round of 16 match in Hong Kong this year. It was the Japanese who came from a set down to eventually win in three sets.
Nishikori would then go on to reach the final of the Hong Kong Open, defeating the likes of Cameron Norrie and Denis Shapovalov. However, since then, the 35-year-old has struggled to find his rhythm.
As for Khachanov, he, too, has struggled to gain any momentum with several early exits. His best result came at the Barcelona Open, where he reached the semi-finals, but apart from that, it hasn’t been the best of campaigns this year for the Russian.
Khachanov and Nishikori have played each other 7 times in the past. The Japanese holds a 5-2 lead in the pair’s head-to-head, and more importantly, he has won both their matches played on clay. Their round of 64 match at Roland Garros in 2021 was a classic, which went the distance with Nishikori prevailing 6-4 in the final set.
The pair met for the first time in the round of 64 at the US Open, which went the way of Nishikori after a 4-set battle. At one point in 2018, Khachanov held a 2-1 lead over his opponent, but since then, Nishikori bounced back to make it four wins in a row, with the most recent one at this year’s Hong Kong Open.
| Year | Event | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hong Kong | Round of 16 | Kei Nishikori | 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 |
| 2021 | Roland Garros | Round of 64 | Kei Nishikori | 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2021 | ATP Masters 1000 Madrid | Round of 64 | Kei Nishikori | 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2018 | Vienna | Round of 16 | Kei Nishikori | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2018 | Halle | Round of 16 | Karen Khachanov | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2017 | Halle | Round of 16 | Karen Khachanov | 3-2 RET |
| 2016 | US Open | Round of 64 | Kei Nishikori | 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
Also Read: What Surface Is The French Open Played On? Exploring The Rich History Of The Roland Garros Surface
The Russian, who is currently ranked number 24, has reached as high as number 8 in the world, while the Japanese, who is currently outside the top 50, was as high as number 4 in 2015. Khachanov’s best result at a Grand Slam is a semi-final at the Australian and the US Opens, whereas Nishikori made it to the Final of the US Open in 2014.
| Karen Khachanov | Category | Kei Nishikori |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Ranking | 62 |
| 292-212 | Career W-L | 450-229 |
| 11-11 | YTD W-L | 9-8 |
| 7 | Career Titles | 12 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 0 | YTD Titles | 0 |
Neither of the two players has been at their best this year, but Khachanov has performed better over the past couple of seasons, even though Nishikori did reach a final in Hong Kong earlier this year.
Khachanov has played more on clay thus far in 2025 and has converted 44% break points while saving 57% of the 76 break points he has faced. Nishikori, on the other hand, has converted just 37% of break points and has managed to save 56% of the 18 break points he faced.
Although the stats are not too far apart for both players, Nishikori’s 5-2 lead and 2-0 record over the Russian on clay could play a big role in this match. However, should Khachanov find his game, he may be able to snap his 4-game losing streak against the Japanese.
Prediction: Khachanov in straight sets
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The betting odds for this match are in favor of the Russian, who currently looks to be a better player on this surface than Nishikori. In Rome, Khachanov was looking good and was the only player to take a set from the eventual Champion, Carlos Alcaraz.
Karen Khachanov Win: 7/20
Kei Nishikori Win: 43/20
(According to BetMGM)
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