Fokinazo in Shanghai: KO of Davidovich’s champion

‘Fokinazo’ on the center court of the Shanghai Masters 1000 ATP, already at dawn after another tough battle of more than two hours. He saved a match ball against the American Frances Tiafoe in the third round, and staged another comeback in the round of 16, not as extreme but almost. The champion of Mallorca and Chengdu will be in the quarterfinal round.

Alexander Davidovich Fokina, ‘Foki’, 27 years old and world number 26, he is back after the back injury. “I’m, eh!” he signed on the television camera as the winner of the match. Who knows if it was not also a vindication towards the Spanish Davis Cup captain, David Ferrer.

The man from Malaga is failing on the Chinese tour, although he has tennis players ahead of him. They will have to fight for the fifth and last place, at the moment they have priority Carlos Alcaraz, Rafa Jódar and double Marcel Granollers-Pedro Martínez.

Davidovich pushes, also on an individual level, trying to recover positions in the ranking, to once again rub shoulders with the best. Tennis has always had, now he is forming a good partnership with the coach Pepo Clavet.

As proof, a very prestigious victory in Shanghai. Defeated by 1-6, 6-3 and 7-6 (6) to the 2023 champion, absent in the 2024 and 2025 editions, and therefore with nine games undefeated in the event. Davidovich led the Pole to defeat Hubert Hurkacz29 years old and number 34.

The next rival, an unexpected Arthur GeaFrenchman, 21 years old and number 56, revelation of recent months. He reached the round of 16 of the US Open as a ‘lucky loser’, before he was ATP champion in Los Cabos. He made the round of 16 in Beijing, he will make his debut in the quarterfinals of an ATP Masters 1000.

The Frenchman beat the Czech Jakub Mensik by 7-6 (4) and 6-4, in their 22nd victory in their last 25 games. There is no precedent for Davidovich with Gea, the Spaniard has taken the measure of Hurkacz, whom he has dominated in 6 of 8 clashes, many of them resolved to the limit. A few days ago he lifted the trophy Chengdu before the eyes of the Central European.

Davidovich complained about some irregular bounce of the ball, as Carlos Alcaraz the day before. “What a… track,” he blurted out. It was when he avoided a ‘rosco’ against him in the opening set, totally dominated. “It was a mediocre game,” he said, already classified. Too demanding, he reacted to the bad start, he held off an opponent who flies on fast courts with his serve: 21 ‘aces’.

‘Foki’ missed a smash on the first match point, the second was not touched by the rival serve. A third was built with an excellent parallel backhand passing. And he finished at the third opportunity, Hurkacz’s parallel right missed.