Armenian-Russian tennis player Karen Khachanov, after reaching the 1/8 finals of the Australian Open, expressed his support for the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which has been under blockade for over 40 days now.

Khachanov on Friday, January 20 beat the American Francis Tiafoe with a score of 6:3, 6:4, 3:6, 7:6 (11:9) in Melbourne.

Immediately after the game ended, 26-year-old Khachanov wrote on the camera shooting the game: “Artsakh, stay strong”.

Khachanov will next play Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka (31st seed).

Since December 12, the sole road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia - the Lachin Corridor - has been blocked by self-described Azerbaijani environmentalists. Karabakh residents have reported food and fuel shortages, while hospital patients don't have access to essential medicines, with only a handful allowed transfer to facilities in Armenia proper.