The Spanish Pablo Carreño lost this Sunday in the round of 16 of the US Open against Russian Karen Khachanovwho won the game 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and 21 minutes.
With this removal and to from Alexander Davidovich Fokina this morning against the Italian Mateo Berrettinithe Spanish delegation in New York is left with only two representatives in the men’s box: Rafa Nadal y Carlos Alcaraz (On Monday they will play their respective round of 16 matches).
Carreño, number 15 in the world and recent champion of the Montreal Masters 1,000, lived a very strange duel, complicated and full of ups and downs against Khachanov, who occupies the 31st position in the world ranking.
The Spaniard won the first set comfortably, fell apart in the second and third setshad physical problems that left him on the verge of retirement, he resurfaced in a surprising way to win the fourth set and finally lost the fifth and final set.
this defeat stops Carreño’s journey in a Grand Slam that is especially good for him since he reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadows in 2017 and 2020.
Promising start
The afternoon started wonderfully for Carreño, who got a “break” in the first turn to Khachanov’s serve.
With a dominant presentation, Carreño controlled the set from start to finish giving a great feeling of superiority and efficiency over the Russianoffered no doubts with his serve and it was enough for him to convert the only “break” ball he had to sign the first set in 39 minutes.
One of the keys to the first set was that he limited his unforced errors very well, but The picture changed in the second set.
With more doubts, Carreño solved a “break” ball against on his first serve and, in general, had to deal with a Khachanov who exceeded his performance.
The Russian put more and more pressure on Carreño’s serve and, finally, got a “break” to get 4-2.
In the end, the errors in that set (11 from the Spaniard, 4 from the Russian) decided the sleeve for Khachanov and the match was even
Something had gone wrong for Carreño, usually very calm on the track but seemed particularly uncomfortable and that it did not remember at all the great image that it had given at the start.
He had to face a 0-40 against to start the set and Carreño managed to get out unscathed from two “break” balls but granted the third.
Problems continued for Carreño with double faults, bad feelings and frustration that continued to grow.
In the outcome of that set, which Khachanov scored in just over half an hour, the Spaniard missed a very clear shot and gave up competing for some of the last points, giving up the set. a gesture that led to some boos from the New York public.
In reality it was not carelessness or indifference but that Carreño seemed to bel, since he requested the assistance of the doctor on the court after finishing the third set of the match due to some type of indisposition or physical problem.
It gave the impression that it was about to retire, but then it resurfaced when no one expected it.
He looked like a completely different player: regained his confidence and his game, he went on to dominate the courtthe errors had completely disappeared, he broke Khachanov’s serve and even allowed himself a luxury like a precious drop shot to make it 3-5.
Carreño had completely let go and took the set with 16 winning shots for only 6 of his rival.
The final set was already played with no room for error and the key moment came in the sixth game.
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With 3-2 for Khachanov, Carreño missed a sung shot to have made it 40-0 and, instead, the game ended with “break” against and 4-2.
The Spaniard managed to save two match points but finally succumbed to Khachanov and said goodbye to the tournament.