Khachanov ends losing run versus Dimitrov to reach the semis

Karen Khachanov charged into the Rolex Paris Masters semi-finals on Friday night after defeating Grigor Dimitrov to end a four-match losing streak.

The 28-year-old Khachanov who have now won 12 out of his last 13 matches, eliminated the Bulgarian from Nitto ATP Finals contention with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win.

“I started sharp from the baseline and tried to put pressure from the beginning,” Khachanov said. “I was able to break him in the first game and take the lead and after that I noticed that he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent. But he wanted to play and I respect that. Credit to him for that.”

Asked to explain the hot streak that has taken him to the Almaty title, the Vienna final and now to his fifth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, Khachanov said, “I try not to think about it, to be honest. When you are felling the rhythm, feeling the momentum you just want to continue enjoying the moment and continue playing the same way, with just a slight change of tactics for a different opponent. But playing with the same belief, enthusiasm and enjoyment.”

Dimitrov needed to beat Khachanov and then advance to the final to pass eighth-placed Alex De Minaur in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin and move inside the cut for the season finale, which he won on debut in 2017.

In the semi-finals Khachanov will play Ugo Humbert, who advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final when he moved past Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 7-6(4).