Karen Khachanov – Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Karen, tell us how you’re feeling about your performance today.

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, to be honest from the beginning I was playing really, really great level. I haven’t beat him before. We always had tough matches. I was really, really looking to get this first win.

Same time, let’s say you always come prepared. You always want to start in a good way. Let’s say so well, the way I was leading, sometimes you don’t expect it to go that way. That’s why I was really, really controlling it. I was like 6-1, 2-0. It’s a pity I didn’t win this game. Maybe it could have been even easier, the second set.

At the same time, yes, there were some challenges. I faced some tougher games afterwards. I was even 2-3 down. No, 2-All and break point. Those points are important for me to win right now, those sets, those matches, just to get as many as possible under my belt, to get the form, get the rhythm.

I’m not playing first year tennis, so let’s say I know what it takes (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Hasn’t been the easiest couple weeks for you in terms of tennis results. What might have you taken from those losses that you were able to apply today?

KAREN KHACHANOV: To be honest, like I mentioned before, I finished season on really, really high note, high level. I was really enjoying myself out there, winning matches. I wanted to continue the season, to be honest (smiling). I didn’t qualify for the Finals, Nitto Finals, otherwise I think I would be dangerous there.

Then I had a break of two months. I worked hard, to be honest. Like you always want to put the base for the first months especially until clay. So maybe even a little bit too much. Who knows.

At the same time you can’t complain. You cannot go back. You just try to an analyze what you can do better. That’s why I said, to be honest, I just want to have as many matches as possible to find this rhythm, to find this level.

Definitely you can be fit, you can be ready, practicing well, feeling well, but you then you need to go out there and win. Once these wins are coming, you start to feel the points better because maybe you can practice really well, you feel the ball, you feel everything.

But then in some situations you need to play automatic, you know what you are doing. Sometimes when you start to think, overthink, this is when the let’s say match can go either your way or not.

That’s why in terms of results, yeah, they were not great. Since already last week in Doha, it was unfortunate I was playing against Daniil. It was tough match for both, let’s say. He would prefer I’m sure somebody else. I would prefer somebody else. With that level, I could go further and maybe do a better result.

You never know.

Q. Ending the year as confidently as you did, how did that affect your approach going into the off-season, how you trained and prepared for this year?

KAREN KHACHANOV: I think I more or less mentioned before. It was long answer.

When you finish on a good note, you just want to keep the momentum, you just want to continue, let’s say, having this feel. But there were no tournaments, like I said. It’s tough to keep it during two months without competition.

Even during December, I was practicing. I kept this level. But then maybe it was a little bit too long a break. Also in Hong Kong it was unfortunate, I lost in three sets to Nishikori.

Like I said, every match counts, every tournament counts. At the end of the day you never know.

Q. Playing with Andrey this week, who asks who to play doubles?

KAREN KHACHANOV: It’s not really who. Sometimes he asks. Sometimes I ask. Like, we know pretty much our schedules. We know that during those years which tournaments we used to play together. We just basically continue doing that. Maybe sometimes we just sign somewhere extra if we feel like we are willing to play one more tournament together.

To be honest, like I said, sometimes he does, sometimes I do. I don’t know.

Q. Back to the off-season. When you said you worked a lot, what do you mean by ‘a lot’? Was it hours you put in or a particular thing in your game? Was that off-season here in Dubai?

KAREN KHACHANOV: Yeah, to be honest physically. Tennis-wise also. I think first weeks, like two and a half weeks, it was really a push into a physical perspective, to find more power, to find more explosiveness. I was spending more hours in the gym, outside. At the same time playing, of course.

I just had two weeks off from tennis, let’s say, when I had holidays after Paris Masters. Then when I started to train, it was like first days especially focus on the fitness, tennis, lighter hitting. Then coming into the second week, third week, we were definitely spending a lot of hours on court, drills, working on the tactic game, like volleys, coming to the net more, those kind of stuff.

Q. Next up could be Sonego or Tsitsipas, which is also a kind of tough matchup. What do you think and where do you think game-wise you are now?

KAREN KHACHANOV: I think I’m always, let’s say, believing in myself. I’m always going out there to fight. I’m confident, let’s say. Let’s see who wins.

I cannot, let’s say, predict that and guarantee anything. I think neither my opponent can. That’s the approach I have.

I won today. I will discuss with the coach. We go to play doubles, then we practice tomorrow. Whoever wins, I will prepare.

They are, like, really different style opponents, both of them. It depends I guess who I will play next match.

Q. Dubai is a popular training base for players. I’m curious why you chose it.

KAREN KHACHANOV: Listen, I’m living here since 2016. Actually it was a longer time before more players started to come here. I would say Roger was one of the first ones who used to train here, especially in December. Then sometimes even he was coming in July, which I was completely surprised because it’s just impossible to train during the day. He wanted to feel tough conditions. I remember when we spoke before U.S. swing. I never tried that, to be honest.

Yeah, during those years… I think from 2019, I remember Tsitsipas started to come here to train here, do off-season. We used to train together at that time. Many more players, like the last four years. Almost everyone is here.

You know why it’s good, answering to your question, I think the weather. Definitely the conditions. You are halfway to Australia if you are flying from Europe. Cold, indoor, one extra flight to Dubai first. Anyway, you fly either through Dubai or Doha most likely.

Yeah, I think is just conditions and facilities. Just perfect I think for training.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports