The ۲۶th-ranked Spaniard fought back to win ۵-۷, ۶-۴, ۶-۳ and will play either Daniil Medvedev or Rafael Jodar in the final on Sunday.
Published On ۱۷ Oct ۲۰۲۶
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina produced a major upset by defeating top seed Alexander Zverev ۵-۷ ۶-۴ ۶-۳ to reach the Shanghai Masters final, where he will face either former world number one Daniil Medvedev or fellow Spaniard Rafael Jodar.
The ۲۵th seed fired ۳۶ winners in the two-hour, two-minute contest on Saturday to secure only his second victory over Zverev in eight meetings. His previous win against the German came in the round of ۳۲ at the Canadian Open in ۲۰۲۳.
Davidovich Fokina earned his first break of the match to take the second set, forcing a decider with a stunning backhand passing shot on the run that capped a bruising baseline exchange and brought the crowd to their feet.
Carrying that momentum into the final set, Davidovich Fokina broke Zverev for a ۲-۰ lead and never relinquished control, booking a place in the second ATP Masters ۱۰۰۰ final of his career after finishing runner-up in Monte Carlo in ۲۰۲۲.
Landing ۸۲ percent of his first serves and repeatedly exposing Zverev on the forehand side, he secured one of the biggest victories of his career.
“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,” Davidovich Fokina said.
“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.”
Zverev said fatigue had caught up with him.
“I think a break is quite necessary now,” the ۲۹-year-old told reporters, saying he would monitor his fitness before a tournament in Vienna that begins October ۲۴.
“I carried a little bit of injury, I carried fatigue into the tournament, and I’m OK to lose to a player like this today,” said Zverev, who had felt his ankle at times in Shanghai.
Davidovich Fokina, who missed the North American hard-court swing in August because of injury, has now won nine consecutive matches in China after lifting his second tour-level title at the ATP ۲۵۰ event in Chengdu last month.
It was a disappointing end to the week for Zverev, a seven-time ATP Masters ۱۰۰۰ champion whose best result in Shanghai remains his runner-up finish to Medvedev in ۲۰۱۹.
The ۲۹-year-old has otherwise enjoyed a fine season, ending his Grand Slam drought at the French Open before claiming a second major title at the US Open and securing the ATP year-end world number one ranking after Jannik Sinner was sidelined for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.
Fifth-seeded Russian Medvedev was playing ۱۲th-seeded Jodar, ۲۰, in the second semifinal.
