Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Miami Masters match.
Nick Kyrgios marked his long-awaited return to the ATP Tour with a much-needed win, snapping a near 900-day drought. But things get tougher straight away, as he faces world No. 23 Karen Khachanov in the next round. There’s hope for the Aussie — Khachanov hasn’t looked his best in 2025, and their head-to-head history suggests a tight battle is likely.
Nick Kyrgios
The Australian came from a set down to defeat Mackenzie McDonald (3:6, 6:3, 6:4) in the first round, impressing with 79% first-serve accuracy — a key to his game. Against Khachanov, Kyrgios has held his own. Though he lost both of their previous matches, he won at least a set each time, and both contests were hard-fought. Since returning this year, Kyrgios has played only three matches, withdrawing from one, but the two he completed went to either a tie-break or a deciding set.
Karen Khachanov
The Russian has had a slow start to 2025, losing 6 of his 10 matches. His only straight-set wins came against Adrian Mannarino and Dan Evans — neither of whom is currently in the top 100. Khachanov’s matches have consistently gone long — 8 of his last 10 have featured over 20.5 total games. His clashes with Kyrgios have been especially gruelling, with both Grand Slam meetings going to five sets, and their most recent encounter totalling 34 games.
Nick Kyrgios vs Karen Khachanov Prediction
History tells us to expect another marathon. All three of their past matches went the distance, with 9 of 12 sets decided by just two games and 7 of them requiring tie-breaks. Both players have big serves and are prone to streaky momentum shifts, making a high game count almost inevitable.
