World No. 26 Davidovich Fokina refuses to fold and stuns Zverev in Shanghai semi-final

Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina looks on as he hits a return to Germany’s Alexander Zverev during their men’s singles semi-final match at the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai October 17, 2026. — AFP pic

First Published: Saturday, 17 Oct 2026 7:22 PM MYT

SHANGHAI, Oct 17 — Top seed Alexander Zverev fell to a relentless Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals today over three tense sets.

Davidovich Fokina, ranked 26th, fought back to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 and will play either Daniil Medvedev or fellow Spaniard Rafael Jodar in the final tomorrow.

The 27-year-old Spaniard combined grit, lightning-fast returns and graceful drop shots to stun the German, who will end the year world number one.

“I was a little bit nervous,” Davidovich Fokina told the crowd afterwards of his shaky start.

“But I keep going, I keep fighting, every ball,” he said.

With his semi-final victory the Spaniard extended his winning streak in China to nine matches, after claiming an ATP 250 title in Chengdu.

The duo fought over long rallies in the first set, earning Davidovich Fokina a high-five from the world number two after one particularly impressive lob.

Despite a series of misjudged shots Zverev managed to avoid facing any break points in the first set.

He sprinted to send a brilliant backhand down the line, converting a crucial break point to go up 6-5.

He took the first set with an ace and looked to be heading back to the final he last reached in 2019.

Trouble arrived in the second set though as Zverev looked to be moving with some difficulty.

Davidovich Fokina worked his first break point in the fourth game but Zverev held when the Spaniard returned into the net.

Davidovich Fokina’s growing pressure paid off and he successfully ran for a backhand to take the match into a deciding set.

The emboldened Spaniard raced into a 3-0 lead.

The German saved two match points but the reprieve was only a brief one. — AFP