Chengdu champion Davidovich Fokina stays red-hot in China, toppling Zverev to reach Shanghai final
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 25) came from a set down to stun Alexander Zverev (No. 1) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday night and reach the final of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The Spaniard, on a nine-match winning run in China since his Chengdu title, recovered from two missed match points to reach his second Masters 1000 final.
Alexander Zverev and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Shanghai 2026 | © Andy Wong/AP/SIPA
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina came from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev on Saturday night, the Spanish No. 25 seed overcoming the German top seed 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the final of the Shanghai Masters 1000.
Ranked No. 26, Davidovich Fokina will face Spanish No. 12 seed Rafael Jodar or Russian No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev for the title. A Jodar win would set up the ninth all-Spanish final in Masters 1000 history, the first since 2017 Monte-Carlo and the first on hard courts.
The Spaniard reached his second Masters 1000 final, matching his best result at the level from Monte-Carlo in 2022. He became the fourth-lowest-ranked finalist in the tournament’s history and will return to the top 15 on Monday.
It was only his second win over a top-3 player, and his second in eight meetings with Zverev, after a 6-1, 6-2 win in the second round in Toronto in 2023. It was also only the second time in 30 matches that he had come back from a set down against a top 10 opponent, after beating Pole Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the 2024 United Cup.
Zverev’s serve cracks before Davidovich Fokina finishes strongly
Zverev was not broken until the 10th game of the second set, when he served at 4-5 and dropped serve to hand Davidovich Fokina the set. The Spaniard looked the fresher and more determined player in the decider. Under heavy pressure after letting slip two match points at 5-2 on Zverev’s serve, he stayed composed to serve out the match. He finished with 36 winners and 20 unforced errors.
The win extended his run on Chinese soil to nine matches, after winning the Chengdu title three weeks ago. In Shanghai, he beat American Jenson Brooksby 6-1, 6-3, saved a match point against American No. 7 seed Frances Tiafoe to win 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (6) and edged past Hurkacz 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6). He then reached the semifinals when Frenchman Arthur Gea retired trailing 4-1.
Zverev’s defeat cost him the chance to make sure of officially becoming the 30th World No. 1 on November 2, whatever his result in Vienna. He had beaten Chinese wildcard Yibing Wu 6-4, 7-6 (4), Frenchman Quentin Halys 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-3, Kazakh No. 19 seed Alexander Bublik 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) and Australian No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
