Alex de Minaur beats Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Washington Open final after saving three championship points
Australia's Alex de Minaur rescued three championship points while trailing 5-3 in the third and final set, before fighting back to beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and win his first ATP Tour title in Washington
Monday 28 July 2025 07:16, UK
Alex de Minaur pulled off an incredible comeback to win the Washington Open, denying Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina a maiden ATP Tour title with a 5-7 6-1 7-6 (3) victory.
The Australian seventh seed, who will move back into the world's top 10 following the result, looked to have met his match early, as the lower-ranked Davidovich Fokina answered De Minaur's every challenge to win the opening set.
De Minaur looked like a different beast in the second, however, breaking the Spaniard twice to bulldoze his way into a deciding third set.
The momentum appeared to swing again in the third, as Davidovich Fokina raced out to a commanding 4-1 lead.
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De Minaur was able to claw a game back, but Davidovich Fokina continued to counter, eventually putting himself on the verge of victory up 5-3.
Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, this game proved a tipping point.
Serving for the match, Davidovich Fokina battled to what would eventually be six deuces and three championship points, but De Minaur's trademark resilience repeatedly denied the Spaniard a killing blow.
Both players traded the advantage from there, but three straight points in the tie-breaker ultimately proved enough for the Australian to claim the 10th title of his career.
De Minaur consoled his visibly devastated opponent after the match, telling Davidovich Fokina during the trophy presentation: "You're way too good to not have one of these; it's coming for sure. You deserved it today, I just got lucky.
"You are a hell of a competitor, hell of a player. No one on the tour wants to play you.
"This is not the end, this is only going up for you."
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