Davidovich Fokina turns the match around
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, seeded 25th, came from a set down to defeat top seed Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday and advance to the Shanghai Masters final. The Spaniard had previously won the ATP 250 tournament in Chengdu and now reaches the second Masters showpiece of his career, following a clay-court defeat in Monte Carlo in 2022.[S1]
Zverev, who had recently secured the year-end No. 1 ranking, sealed the opening set with an ace but then faced sustained pressure, saving two break points early in the second. Davidovich Fokina equalized the match with a two-handed backhand winner down the line and took a 4-1 lead in the decider with an ace.[S1]
Serving at 15-40 in the eighth game of the third set, Zverev saved two match points, but Davidovich Fokina converted his third opportunity when the German failed to return a sliced serve on the forehand side. The victory puts the Spaniard one match away from a third title this year and the third of his career.[S1]
Jodar ends Medvedev's run in straight sets
Rafael Jodar, a 20-year-old Spaniard seeded 12th, reached his first Masters final by beating 2019 champion Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4. Medvedev saved three match points while serving at 5-3 down and then held, but Jodar served out the win, finishing with a forehand winner down the line after a soft Medvedev smash at the net left an easy opening.[S1]
Jodar is aiming for the second title of his career, having won on clay at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco, in April. The Shanghai final will be an all-Spanish affair and the first meeting between the two players, whose head-to-head record stands at 0-0 since 2022.[S1][S2]
Fatigue and the road to Vienna
Zverev attributed the loss partly to fatigue, stating that he had arrived at the tournament feeling tired and had perhaps exceeded what could reasonably be expected given his recent heavy playing schedule. He expressed acceptance of losing to an opponent of Davidovich Fokina's caliber.[S1]
The German is next scheduled to compete at the ATP 500 event in Vienna, starting on Oct. 26, which could feature a match against seven-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz.[S1]
