Alejandro Davidovich Fokina made a memory of a lifetime Sunday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he rallied to defeat Rafael Jodar in the final and win his first ATP Masters 1000 crown.
The 27-year-old arrived in Shanghai still fresh off a title run late last month at the ATP 250 event in Chengdu, where he was competing for the first time since returning from a two-month absence due to a back injury. Davidovich Fokina has since turned his comeback into a career-defining run, winning two titles in three tournaments.
Reflecting on his success, Davidovich Fokina credited his team and wife for supporting him through a difficult spell away from competition.
"I cannot describe with words what I achieved in this Chinese swing," Davidovich Fokina said following his landmark victory. "I never thought I would have two titles after two months out.
"But I'm really, really happy. I think my team pushing me. It was difficult when I was at home, and they were pushing me very hard. They knew that I can achieve these kind of things. So I am very grateful [for] what they have done, because they were believing in me. And, of course, my wife supported me every day for two months. It's not easy."
The Shanghai triumph also adds to a significant shift in Davidovich Fokina’s fortunes in title matches. After losing his first five ATP Tour finals, the Spaniard broke his title duck in Mallorca earlier this season before adding trophies in Chengdu and Shanghai.
In Sunday’s final against Jodar, who was contesting his first Masters 1000 final, Davidovich Fokina fell a set and a break behind but fought his way back to claim the title, showing the composure needed to close out the biggest matches.
"Today I was more tight, more nervous," Davidovich Fokina admitted. "He started very good. The first set, I was not seeing any holes to make a winner. He was everywhere... But I just kept believing in myself to see what I can do to break him. I knew it's not going to be easy for him either. He's going to be nervous, maybe he's going to do a couple mistakes that he didn't do before.
"So I just needed to be there, and on every ball keep believing in myself and try to let him run... That was my strong key today was to be physical in the match, that was my only chance today."
The victory marked a productive return from injury for Davidovich Fokina, who will rise 13 spots to a career-high No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings following his Shanghai triumph. After a demanding stretch in Asia, the Spaniard's immediate focus is on taking a break and spending time with his family before returning to competition.
"I don't want to think about next week. I just want to celebrate with my team this victory, enjoy this moment," Davidovich Fokina shared. "I'm arriving home tomorrow, after one month here, not seeing my family, not seeing my wife. So, I don't want to think about tennis for next two, three days, just to enjoy."
