Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP 500 match.
The Russian just claimed his second title of the season in Almaty and now heads straight from the Kazakh court to the Vienna event, aiming for another ATP 500 title. However, the Brazilian has previously defeated Khachanov. Will we see a rematch?
Karen Khachanov
Securing the title at the Almaty Open was no easy feat for the Russian. He battled through three sets (6:2, 5:7, 6:3) over 2 hours and 23 minutes against Canada's Gabriel Diallo, who is ranked at just No. 87. During the tournament, the only higher-ranked opponent he faced was Australia's Aleksandar Vukic (No. 72), who he also defeated with difficulty—6:7, 6:3, 6:4.
Thiago Seyboth Wild
Facing the Brazilian, ranked 78th in the ATP, will also be challenging. In their only previous encounter at Indian Wells 2024, Seyboth Wild triumphed (6:1, 7:5), despite the fact that the 15th seed fell to a qualifier. After passing the Russian in the second round, Thiago Seyboth Wild lost to Hungary's Fabian Marozsan (2:6, 2:6) in the next. He has yet to develop consistency against all opponents.
Karen Khachanov vs Thiago Seyboth Wild Prediction
Despite having better odds, Khachanov's strenuous matches leading up to the final may take a toll on him. Meanwhile, the Brazilian played in Antwerp the same week but was eliminated much earlier, in the round of 16, thus conserving more energy. We’re not predicting a win for the Brazilian, just noting that the match will likely be a long one.
