Russian competing under a neutral banner, Karen Khachanov, 25e world, on Friday landed the first ticket to the tennis final of the Tokyo Olympics, beating the Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta (11e), 6-3, 6-3.
Thunder rumbled on Center Court at Ariake Tennis Park, but it was Russian lightning that fell on Carreno.
The final scheduled for Sunday
While the Spaniard had won the day before a great victory over Daniil Medvedev, world n ° 2, this time he could not fight against this other Russian. Once again very efficient in service (10 aces, 26 points won out of 28 in the first ball), Khachanov also played with his powerful forehand to push the Spanish metronome to the fault (15 unforced errors).
We know the first qualified for the final of the Olympic tournament. Karen Khachanov, winner of her duel against Spaniard Carreno-Busta (6-3 / 6-3) has secured a medal and will face Zverev or Djokovic #Olympic Games
Follow the Olympics live https://t.co/HnTJu3Tm5y pic.twitter.com/zilt5LseBf
– France tv sport (@francetvsport) July 30, 2021
Russia, forced to play these Games under a neutral banner after the institutionalized doping scandal that hit the country, is thus guaranteed to obtain a medal in tennis.
Gold and silver at stake, Khachanov will face Sunday in the final the winner of the meeting between the world No.1, the Serbian Novak Djokovic, and the No.5, the German Alexander Zverev, who started in Tokyo.
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