Alex De Minaur showed nerves of steel, battling back from a set down and saving three match points to snatch the Washington Open crown with a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Sunday’s ATP 500 final.
The Australian No. 1, who lost the 2018 final to Alexander Zverev, credited a bit of luck in securing his 10th career title — a win that will push him into the world’s top 10 ahead of the US Open.
Both 26-year-olds traded breaks early in the opener before Spain’s Davidovich Fokina pulled ahead, closing the set with sharp forehand winners. But De Minaur bounced back fiercely, converting break points and dominating the second set with an ace to even the match in just over 30 minutes.
Davidovich Fokina looked set to claim his first ATP title, breaking to lead 5-3 in the decider. Yet nerves took over as he failed to serve out the match, handing the break back to seventh seed De Minaur.
Frustration mounted for the Spaniard as De Minaur fended off three match points, then capitalized on unforced errors in a tense tiebreak to clinch the title.
Post-match, De Minaur praised his opponent’s skill: “Alejandro’s way too good not to win one soon. I got lucky today. You’re a hell of a competitor, and this isn’t the end for you.”
Davidovich Fokina, who entered the tournament on a wild card last year, vowed to keep pushing after securing a career-high ranking of No. 19. “We hit our target this week, just not with the trophy. But we’ll keep pushing harder.”
SETTING THE MOOD WITH SHOW SPORT
Show Sports is South Africa’s leading hub for premium sports content and world-class tournaments. We bring fans closer to the action with a wide array of major sporting events and competitive tournaments across the country.