While Alexander Zverev plays consistently in tournaments this year, he has yet to hit the top gear. As a result, the German star hasn’t lifted any title yet in 2024. The Miami Open presents a wonderful opportunity for him to break his jinx and achieve success. Additionally, he has had smooth sailing so far in the tournament. With his sight firmly on the title, Zverev has made a bright start at the Miami Open despite issues with the playing surface.

With the battle heating up, Zverev will take on Karen Khachanov of Russia in the round of 16 clash in Miami. Zverev and Khachanov are experienced stars who are known to raise their game in important matches. It promises to be a thrilling battle between the two!

Alexander Zverev vs Karen Khachanov: Preview

The German star had a decent start to the year, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open. Subsequently, he suffered a shock defeat in the semifinal in Los Cabos, where he was the top seed. Earlier this month, Zverev went down tamely against Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the quarterfinals. He had convincing straight-set victories against Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2 6-4 and Christopher Eubanks 7-6 6-3 in the earlier rounds.

Unlike Zverev, Khachanov has had some strong performances this year and has already opened his account of victories. The Russian star prevailed in the Qatar Open and won the tournament without dropping a set. However, he has had to dig deep in Miami. Khachanov enters the pre-quarterfinal after a nerve-wracking victory over Federico Cerundolo 6-1 5-7 7-6.

Zverev vs Khachanov: Head-to-Head

The two are seasoned tennis players and have faced each other 5 times in the past. They have a close rivalry, with Zverev in the lead 3-2. However, their last meeting was back in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics where Zverev prevailed in straight sets. Given the close nature of the rivalry, the match could go anyone’s way.

Prediction: Zverev to get the better of Khachanov

In the Miami Open, they played 2 matches and Zverev hasn’t surrendered a set so far, while Khachanov has dropped 1 set. The fourth seed has looked at ease in the tournament. Additionally, he is one of the favorites to win the title here. As a result, the German star is predicted to win the match in straight sets and enter the quarterfinals. The event is scheduled to begin at 2:05 pm AEDT on Wednesday 27th, 2024 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA.

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