Karen Khachanov is set to face Tomas Machac in the second round of the 2026 Almaty Open on Thursday, October 22, with both players looking to build momentum on the indoor hard courts in Kazakhstan.

The matchup brings together the fifth-seeded Khachanov, currently ranked No. 25 in the world, and Czech player Machac, who enters the contest ranked No. 72. Their previous meeting at the 2024 Australian Open gives the Russian a head-to-head advantage.

Karen Khachanov Enters Match After Straight-Sets Win

Khachanov arrives in Almaty after defeating Japanese qualifier Rei Sakamoto 6-2, 6-4 in his opening match on October 20. The result gave the Russian a confident start to his campaign at the ATP 250 tournament.

The 30-year-old has also recorded wins over Adrian Mannarino and Arthur Fery during the Asian hard-court swing. His recent results suggest he can be competitive on the surface, although his second-round loss to Alex de Minaur at the Shanghai Masters showed the challenge of maintaining consistency against strong opponents.

Tomas Machac Looks to Continue His Almaty Run

Machac also enters the match after a convincing performance. The Czech defeated local wild card Zangar Nurlanuly 6-2, 6-0 on October 21 to advance to the next round.

The 26-year-old will look to carry that form into his meeting with Khachanov. His aggressive baseline game and ability to take control of rallies could make the contest competitive, particularly if he finds an early rhythm on the indoor court.

Machac has faced some inconsistent results during the recent hard-court season, but his latest performance gives him a positive starting point ahead of the matchup.

Head-to-Head Record Favors Khachanov

The players have met once on the ATP Tour, with Khachanov winning their third-round encounter at the 2024 Australian Open in four sets. He prevailed 6-4, 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(5) in a contest that featured two tiebreaks.

That victory gives Khachanov a 1-0 lead in their head-to-head record. However, their upcoming meeting takes place on a different surface setting, and Machac will have an opportunity to challenge the Russian in Almaty.

What to Watch in the Almaty Open Match

Khachanov’s experience and higher ranking make him an important player to watch in this second-round encounter. His serve and ability to produce powerful groundstrokes could be decisive on the indoor hard court.

Machac, meanwhile, will aim to use his recent straight-sets win to build confidence and put pressure on the fifth seed. Early service holds and opportunities to attack second serves could play a major role in determining which player advances to the quarterfinals.

The match is scheduled for October 22 as part of the Almaty Open men’s singles draw. Both players will be looking to take another step forward at the ATP 250 event.