Davidovich Fokina beats Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach Shanghai Masters final

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In brief

A comeback from a set down

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, ranked 26th by the ATP, beat Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the Shanghai Masters semi-final on Saturday, 17 October. Zverev took the opening set 7-5 but lost the next two, and the Spaniard reached his second Masters 1000 final. His first came in Monte Carlo in 2022, where he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas, according to N-tv. Sources give slightly different match durations, one saying two hours and four minutes and another two hours and six minutes. Davidovich Fokina's win is his sixth career victory over a top-5 player and his first against one this season, per Mediafax.

How the decider turned

Zverev broke for 6-5 in the first set and served it out, but he lost his rhythm in the second set, which Davidovich Fokina won 6-4 to level the match. SRF reports that the Spaniard pulled away to 3-0 at the start of the decider, after an early double fault by Zverev gave him the break. NDR describes Zverev as visibly drained in the heat, with 29 degrees and the roof open at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena. Davidovich Fokina led 4-1 in the third set, and according to NDR, Zverev saved two match points before the third one went past him.

Games won per set, Zverev vs Davidovich Fokinagames

Data from the article text

Path to the final

On the way to the final, Davidovich Fokina beat Frances Tiafoe (ranked 8) and Hubert Hurkacz (ranked 34), each in three sets, and both matches were decided in a third-set tie-break, according to Mediafax. He saved a match point against Tiafoe, and he has won nine consecutive matches in China after taking his second ATP title at the Chengdu 250 event. Davidovich Fokina climbs 11 places to 15 in the live ATP ranking, and G4Media reports that a Shanghai title would lift him to a career-best 13. G4Media also notes that Hurkacz had earlier beaten Novak Djokovic in the Serbian's first match at the tournament.

Zverev's wait for No. 1

Zverev is set to become world No. 1 this year, but NDR reports that he will not take the top spot at the ATP 500 event in Vienna, which starts on 26 October. Blick says the earliest realistic opportunity is the Paris Masters, starting on 2 November. NDR also reports that Zverev passes 10,000 ranking points on Monday, 19 October, a mark it says only a small group of players has reached since the ATP points reform of 2009. The players it names are Djokovic, Nadal, Sinner, Alcaraz, Murray, Federer and Medvedev. Zverev's semi-final loss keeps that ranking milestone and the No. 1 spot on separate timelines.

Sunday's final

Davidovich Fokina will play the winner of the other semi-final, where Daniil Medvedev (ranked 5) faces Rafael Jodar (ranked 13). Medvedev won the 2019 Shanghai title by beating Zverev 6-4, 6-1 in the final, according to NDR, which reports the score as 4-6, 1-6. Mediafax says Davidovich Fokina's win improves his head-to-head record against Zverev to two wins and six defeats. The final is scheduled for Sunday, 18 October.