Still under the momentum of winning his first Masters 1000 a few weeks ago in Montreal,

Pablo Carreño battled Karen Khachanov and the elements

, but fell in the US Open round of 16 after a dramatic match.

The Russian, 27th favorite, prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6 and .6-3 in three hours and 20 minutes, at the third

match point

.

Huge merits for Khachanov, who managed to break in the sixth game of the fifth set and make the harvest profitable until the end.

The Spaniard was not too far behind, who was able to recover from a sudden collapse in the third set.

Dislocated, he did not even go for the balls.

He received medical attention, took two tablets and returned to the track

.

Based on the confidence gained in the Canadian tournament, the twelfth-favourite, from Gijón, was a model of solvency in everything he did.

He hit long, deep, and dominated his opponents with authority.

At 31 years old, and in a season that did not say much until the unexpected success in Montreal, he had reached a point of maturity and self-esteem that made him a difficult tennis player to beat.

at its best

It is true that he was already

top ten

and that he hung the Olympic bronze in the last Games after beating Djokovic and Medvedev, but it seemed that it was now when he had managed to gather the physical, technical and mental arguments of a consummate competitor.

Still present among the fans was the spectacular return between the legs at the decisive point of his round of 16 match against Alex de Miñaur

, it came off like a shot against Karen Khachanov and the initial break was enough to win the first set.

The Russian, who had beaten him in his last three confrontations, had a hard time finding the rhythm and position to enter with his forehand, together with the service, the blow on which his entire game is based.

At 26,

Khachanov, an Olympic silver medalist and winner of four titles, including the 2018 Paris-Bercy Masters 1000

, has long since lost his footing at the forefront of the tour.

Despite this, he is a dangerous tennis player, who can take advantage of any concession, as he did to equalize a set after stealing his opponent's serve in the sixth game.

Khachanov accommodated to Carreño's insistence on his backhand and took advantage of the match.

Once he made the third set his own, he didn't count on Carreno's extraordinary reaction when he seemed out of the game.

The man from Gijón returned the fight to the starting point and entered the final stage with high hopes.

More physically whole, playing sack, it was the Muscovite who was more resolute and took the win.

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