Cameron Norrie Faces Karen Khachanov in Barcelona Open First Round
British tennis player Cameron Norrie will face Russia’s Karen Khachanov in the first round of the Barcelona Open on Tuesday. Norrie, the former British number one, secured his spot in the main draw after navigating through qualifying, but now faces a tough challenge against Khachanov, who has struggled for form so far in 2025.
According to analysis from Sports Mole, Norrie is seeking his first main-draw victory in over a month, while Khachanov has managed just five wins this season. Norrie’s recent performances have been underwhelming, with the 29-year-old losing his last three main-draw matches, including a first-round defeat to Mattia Bellucci in Monte-Carlo.
Norrie did, however, show some resilience in his qualifying campaign, thrashing Hugo Gaston 6-2 6-3 before edging past Damir Dzumhur 7-6[5] 7-6[6] in a tie-break. As Sports Mole notes, Norrie has had some success on clay courts in the past, including a quarter-final appearance at the Barcelona Open last year.
Khachanov, on the other hand, has had a disappointing start to the season, with just five wins in 13 matches. The world number 27 did show some signs of improvement in his recent match against Daniil Medvedev at the Monte-Carlo Masters, but ultimately lost in three sets. As Sports Mole highlights, Khachanov has struggled to make an impact on clay courts, with all 10 of his ATP Tour finals coming on hard courts.
The two players have a history, with Norrie and Khachanov having clashed on seven previous occasions on the ATP Tour. Khachanov leads the head-to-head 4-3, including wins in their last two meetings on clay at the French Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. However, Norrie did emerge victorious in their only previous meeting at the Barcelona Open in 2021, winning 6-4 3-6 6-3.
In their head-to-head record, Norrie and Khachanov have faced each other on several occasions, including:
- Monte-Carlo Masters (2024) – First round: Khachanov wins 7-5 7-6[3]
- French Open (2022) – Third round: Khachanov wins 6-2 7-5 5-7 6-4
- Rotterdam Open (2022) – Last 16: Norrie wins 6-4 7-6[5]
- Canadian Open (2021) – First round: Khachanov wins 6-4 5-7 6-4
- Lyon Open (2021) – Semi-finals: Norrie wins 6-1 6-1
- Barcelona Open (2021) – Second round: Norrie wins 6-4 3-6 6-3
- Rotterdam Open (2021) – Last 16: Khachanov wins 6-2 6-2
Sports Mole predicts that Khachanov will win in three sets, citing his gutsy display against Medvedev as evidence of his potential. While Norrie has momentum on his side after his qualifying successes, the Russian is expected to advance to the second round.
The match between Norrie and Khachanov is set to be a closely contested encounter, with both players looking to turn their seasons around. As noted by Sports Mole, the winner of this match may have to face Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals, making it a crucial match for both players.
