The Cincinnati Open's Round of 128 is set to open with a mix of ranked veterans and rising challengers battling for a spot in the next stage of this ATP Masters 1000 event on hard courts in Cincinnati.
Aleksandar Kovacevic vs. Karen Khachanov - Round of 128
Khachanov, ranked 15th in the world, holds the head-to-head advantage over Kovacevic, ranked 69th, leading their series 1-0. Their lone previous meeting came at the Australian Open, where Khachanov won 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the second round. That result shows Khachanov was largely dominant, taking three of four sets comfortably, though Kovacevic did manage to take the third set. With a significant ranking gap and a lopsided prior result, Khachanov enters this Round of 128 encounter as the clear favorite.
Prediction: Khachanov wins in three sets.
