Two-time French Open quarter-finalist Karen Khachanov and Tommy Paul, fresh off surviving epic five-setters on Wednesday, face off in the third round on Friday.
While Khachanov and Sebastian Ofner traded sets before the Russian's eventual triumph, Paul roared back from two sets down to outlast Marton Fucsovics, sending him to the third round in Paris for only the second time.
Match preview
© Imago
Khachanov came through a second-round battle with Ofner that ebbed and flowed until his 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 victory.
Having already continued his streak of never losing a tournament opener at Roland Garros, Khachanov, a two-time quarter-finalist in 2019 and 2023, is two wins away from matching his previous best runs in Paris.
After early elimination 12 months ago in the second round, an exit at a similar stage at Wimbledon and a tournament-opening defeat at Flushing Meadows, the Russian has now advanced to the third round at both majors this year.
The 22nd seed will hope to avoid the same outcome Down Under, where American Alex Michelsen beat him in straight sets.
Given that nine of the 29-year-old's 14 victories in 2025 have come on clay, with his finest showing a semi-final run in Barcelona last month, Khachanov will back himself for a 10th success on the dirt at Paul's expense.
© Imago
The American survived a second-round scare to mount a stirring turnaround from two sets down for only the second time in his career.
Having been 3-5 down in the fourth set with his Hungarian opponent two points from victory, the United States player found a second wind to notch a 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 triumph.
That success means that Paul has matched last year's run to the third round, his best French Open performance, and the 28-year-old aims to reach the fourth round for the first time.
The four-time titlist has enjoyed a positive clay season this year, reaching the semis in Houston, the last 16 in Madrid and the semi-finals in Rome, which placed him as one of the players earmarked for a positive run in Paris.
Now at 10-3 for the season on the dirt, the world No. 12 hopes that previous success and the momentum built in the final Masters 1000 event on clay before the French Open stands him in good stead entering Friday's third-round match.
Tournament so far
Karen Khachanov:
First round: vs. Aleksandar Vukic 6-4 6-4 6-4
Second round: vs. Sebastian Ofner 7-5 3-6 7-5 4-6 6-2
Tommy Paul:
First round: vs. Elmer Moller 6-7[5] 6-2 6-3 6-1
Second round: vs. Marton Fucsovics 4-6 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-4
Head To Head
Madrid Masters (2025) - Third round: Paul 6-3 3-6 6-2
Miami Masters (2022) - Second round: Paul 6-4 3-6 7-6(3)
Paul leads his head-to-head with Khachanov 2-0, with both of their previous meetings on the ATP Tour decided in three sets.
Having defeated the seven-time ATP titlist in Miami three years ago, the American recently got the better of world No. 24 on the clay courts in Madrid this year, possibly giving the higher-ranked player the psychological edge on Friday.
We say: Paul to win in five sets
Neither player has been strong on serve in rounds one and two, suggesting that Friday's contest between Khachanov and Paul could ebb and flow.
Although the Russian will be motivated to be third-time lucky against the United States star, Paul's previous success and unbeaten run against the 22nd seed mean we back the four-time ATP champion to edge the match and secure a first fourth-round berth in Paris.
