Karen Khachanov

Karen Khachanov defended himself Tuesday after his support at the Australian Open for a contested Armenian enclave sparked a strongly worded complaint from ...

“The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation letter presented facts and legal documents regarding the provocation against Azerbaijan. “Karen Khachanov, a Russian athlete of Armenian origin, who reached the 1/16 finals in the men’s competition, attracted attention with his hateful act. I’m half-Armenian,” he said after reaching the semi-finals, with an Armenian flag seen in Rod Laver Arena.

The message infuriated an entire country - but the 26-year-old says he will not be silenced in Melbourne.

“The ATF condemned this act and demanded the tennis player be punished and urged the (ITF) to take harsh measures for prevention of such incidents in the future.” Artsakh, hold on!”. The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation described his actions as a “hateful act”. “The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation letter presented facts and legal documents regarding the provocation against Azerbaijan. The messages have infuriated the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation, who sent a memo to the International Tennis Federation demanding action against Khachanov. A Russian with Armenian heritage, the 26-year-old has written post-match messages on the television camera lens such as “Stay strong” and “Keep believing until the very end.

The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation has sent a memo to the International Tennis Federation demanding action ov...

"I have said many times that I respect and appreciate my [Armenian] roots. After his second-round victory he wrote on the camera, "Keep believing all the way until the end! [9NOW](https://9now.app.link/fPnKQ6gxndb) Artsakh stay strong!" [Australian Open 2023 day nine highlights](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/australian-open-2023-live-results-day-nine-stefanos-tsitsipas-victoria-azarenka-karen-khachanov-jessica-pegula-matches/f6d2a76b-7512-4cd1-aa86-c09603e0f96a#post=f43088b6-859c-4fc1-bdfb-30740d030b6b) [with a walkover victory against Sebastian Korda](https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/australian-open-2023-sebastian-korda-wrist-issue-forces-retirement/10bbcefd-d1e2-4e86-9733-0fc69063282d) on Tuesday.

Karen Khachanov moved into his first Australian Open semifinal after Sebastian Korda retired with a wrist injury while Khachanov led 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-0.

The other two, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, meet for a berth in the semifinals on Wednesday. “I got all the experience at Wimbledon, and it’s helping me now this time, here in Australia, and I know what to expect,” said No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece or unseeded Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic for a berth in the men's final. “And sometimes when you have this great result, it just shows you what you are capable of and you start to believe more and more.” Khachanov raised his right index finger to his ear, telling the Rod Laver Arena crowd to let him hear some support, then wagged that finger in a “No. Not long after that, early in the second set, Korda, a 22-year-old American whose father Petr was the 1998 champion in Australia, felt pain in his right wrist when he miss-hit a forehand service return.

Australian Open semi-finalist Karen Khachanov is at the centre of a political row after using his matches to voice support for the breakaway region of ...

To be honest, I don’t want to go deeper than that, and I just wanted to show strength and support to my people. “From my father’s side, from my grandfather’s side, even from my mom’s side. Calling the messages a “provocation” and a “hateful act”, a statement from the ATF concluded: “The ATF condemned this act and demanded that the tennis player be punished and urged the International Tennis Federation to take harsh measures for prevention of such incidents in the future.”

Russia's Karen Khachanov faced backlash from the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation for writing pro-Armenian messages after matches at the 2023 Australian Open.

He said the trip was a “very interesting and intense journey.” Artsakh stay strong!!!” on the television camera lens after his fourth round win over China’s Yoshihito Nishioka on Saturday. But that hasn’t meant the No.

Russia's Karen Khachanov faced backlash from the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation for writing pro-Armenian messages after matches at the 2023 Australian Open.

He said the trip was a “very interesting and intense journey.” Artsakh stay strong!!!” on the television camera lens after his fourth round win over China’s Yoshihito Nishioka on Saturday. But that hasn’t meant the No.

Pro-Armenian sentiment expressed during the Australian Open sparks a complaint from Azerbaijan tennis officials.

“From my father’s side, from my grandfather’s side, even from my mom’s side. I don’t want to go deeper than that, and I just wanted to show strength and support to my people. “I say many times I have Armenian roots,” he told reporters at Melbourne Park after his quarterfinal victory on Tuesday.

Karen Khachanov continued his career resurgence by moving into his second consecutive grand slam semi-final at the Australian Open on Tuesday, but even as ...

His discipline and industriousness was most evident in the quarter-finals of last year’s US Open when he outlasted Nick Kyrgios in five tense sets, blunting Kyrgios’s flashy shotmaking to reach the semi-finals. While Khachanov lacks the clean shotmaking and timing of young talents such as Korda, he has built a reliable, effective game. He established himself by winning his first Masters 1000 title at the Paris Masters in November 2018, beating Novak Djokovic in the final. [have blocked the road](https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2022/12/22/fears-of-humanitarian-crisis-as-supply-route-cut-to-nagorno-karabakh/), halting the transportation of goods, food and medical supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Khachanov opened the contest with Korda in top form, taking the opening set by ending a 17-stroke rally with a crushing down-the-line backhand winner. After the quarter-final, Khachanov reiterated his support, although he declined to elaborate: “I have Armenian roots,” he said.

The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation demanded the ITF takes action against Khachanov, who reached the semi-finals of the Grand Slam tournament on Tuesday, wrote ...

That's it." on a TV camera after two of his matches, later explaining he had done it out of respect for his Armenian roots. "The ITF has received a letter from the Azerbaijan Tennis Federation, which we have passed on to the relevant authorities," the ITF said in a statement.