Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina rallied to a surprise 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory over top seed Alexander Zverev on Saturday to reach the Shanghai Masters final.
World number 26 Davidovich Fokina overcame losing the opening set to force a decider where he raced into a 3-0 lead, capitalising on a Zverev double fault.
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The Spaniard never looked back and served out the match in the ninth game for one of his biggest career successes after 2 hours 6 minutes.
“I knew that if I stayed there all match, I could get at least one chance and I took it there in the second set,” the ATP website quoted Davidovich Fokina as saying.
“Then in the third set, I think I was better physically. The early break in the third set gave me a lot of power. I focused on just playing, not mattering about the result but enjoying.”
Davidovich Fokina won his ninth match in a row in China which includes his run to the title in Chengdu and victories in Shanghai against Francis Tiafoe and Hubert Hurkacz.
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In the final on Sunday, he faces either young compatriot Rafael Jodar or Russia’s Daniil Medvedev.
Zverev had earlier in Shanghai secured the year-ending world number number one position when Carlos Alcaraz went out early. Zverev still trails top ranked Jannik Sinner, but the Italian is out for the season and will lose many points. The change at the top will come in November.
