But Humbert, fueled by a lively home crowd, began to stage an impressive comeback. 

Spotting Khachanov’s visible physical discomfort, Humbert started moving the Russian from side to side, gradually breaking down his defenses and ultimately securing the win 6-7, 6-4, 6-3..

Khachanov had entered the semifinals in strong form, coming off a recent pick-up in.

Winning the Almaty title and securing a runner-up finish in Vienna, he couldn’t quite close proceedings out on Saturday and was furious as he approached his opponent at the net.

Karen Khachanov reveals brutal message he told Ugo Humbert at the net

The pair shared a tense handshake at the net, during which Khachanov appeared to confront Humbert over behavior he exhibited during the match.

The Frenchman, who defeated Carlos Alcaraz on his way to the final, staged a terrific comeback to become the fifth Frenchman in history to reach the final.

However, in a frosty turn of events, Khachanov revealed that he had criticized Humbert’s approach to the match, deeming it disrespectful.

“I told him at the net to show more respect. He has no idea how to behave. I’m always about fair play. I will congratulate him if he behaves like a normal person. That’s all I can say. You can be with the crowd. I have no problem with that.

“Did you see me celebrate yesterday? Grigor was exhausted. He wasn’t injured at the end, he told me. Did you see me jumping and screaming ‘Come on! Allez!’ After every point.. do you think it’s okay?” Khachanov said, who defeated Dimitrov in the quarter-finals, tired from his arduous match the night before.

“You can celebrate after with the crowd no problem. You can do whatever you want. But while you see injuries are part of the game… to do it while you see the guy is on the ground? Okay, see you next time.”

Karen Khachanov must take pride in his end of season form

Khachanov can certainly take pride in his impressive end-of-season form, winning 12 of his last 14 matches and claiming a title in Almaty.

This strong run has solidified his position in the top 20, showcasing his resilience and ability to compete with the tour’s best, demonstrated by several wins over multiple top-20 opponents.

Khachanov’s recent success is a strong foundation to build on as he looks toward the new season.

His main challenge will be maintaining this high level of play as he heads to the Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals in 2023.

With momentum on his side, Khachanov will aim to make another deep run in Melbourne.

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