MONTE CARLO - World No. 42 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina made it through the round of 16 by knocking out fifth seed Jack Draper after a monumental three-set battle at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
Unseeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina trailed by one set to upset world number six Jack Draper 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 in two hours and 46 minutes, progressing to the quarterfinals at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday.
The Spaniard, who finished his match emotionally exhausted, spoke about the grueling battle in his on-court interview.
“Today, I didn’t feel like I played my best tennis or gave my best mental strategy,” he outlined.
“Today was a rollercoaster with my mind. I thought I was playing better, but my mind was telling me [otherwise]. I didn’t know how to control my emotions.”
Next, he will face Australian Alexei Popyrin or fourth seed Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals.
The Match as It Unfolded
Playing aggressively, Davidovich Fokina rushed to open a 2-0 advantage in the first set on Court Rainier III.
The Spaniard converted the break in the second game after Draper, who ousted American Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-1 to reach the round of 16, hit two double faults.
After breaking straight back, a hold at love saw the fifth seed tie the score 2-2.
Following a battle at deuce, the Spanish player, who accomplished his maiden career final at the tournament in 2022, found an edge against the reigning BNP Paribas Open champion at the net in the fifth game, featuring a breathtaking 12-shot rally.
Coming to the net often paid dividends for the world No. 42, firing drop-shot winners in the lead-up to hold onto his advantage for much of the set, which added to his superb court coverage throughout the opener.
The Brit’s timing on serve seemed off, while Davidovich Fokina charged to neutralize the world No. 16, unable to generate power on his forehand, one of his most consistent shots.
The 25-year-old extended his lead with a double break in the eighth game, and despite facing breakpoints when serving for the set, he rose to the occasion, neutralizing the Briton’s late challenge to close out 6-3 in 43 minutes.
The Mallorca-born performance on the return made a huge difference, recording a return rate of 200 compared to his rival 123.
Moreover, Draper committed nine unforced errors, four with his forehand and three with his backhand.
With the wind in his sails in their first meeting at tour level, the former world No. 21 broke to open the second set and held, translating into a 2-0 lead.
Misfiring shots he usually doesn’t when playing on other surfaces, the world No. 6 rallied to hold his ground in an extended 15-minute fifth game of the second set, fending off two breakpoints to narrow the gap at 2-3.
The 23-year-old ferocious ball-striking came to life, breaking to set level and stealing the lead for the first time.
However, his lack of consistency dismantled both break point opportunities he generated in the seventh game, allowing the Abierto Mexicano Telcel finalist to hold, but so would he.
Draper found his net game, winning 100 percent of his approaches, while his rival dropped level overall.
Momentum shifted from one side of the net to the other, unfolding into a tiebreak decided by small margins.
The three-time ATP titlist saved a set point and painted the lines to wrap up the second set 7-6(6) in 69 minutes, firing 18 winners to just seven from the man who stunned 11th seed Ben Shelton, fighting back from a set and break down to defeat the talented young American player, opening proceedings in the Principality.
An edgy final set saw the players fighting a battle of titans, earning two service breaks each through the early stages, leveling up at 3-3.
From there, an arduous second half of the set took shape as both shut the door to go on serve.
The brave Spaniard held his nerve, securing a pivotal break in the 10th game when Draper hit his 10th double fault, notching the set 6-4 and an arduous victory on the red clay arena.
The Delray Beach runner-up finished with 30 winners against 57 unforced errors to the British No. 1 racquet 32 and 47, respectively.
The double faults turn into Draper’s Achilles heel on a surface he has yet to reach a championship match.
