There’s never a dull moment when clay season kicks off. And this year’s Monte Carlo Masters has been buzzing with surprises. Some of the top seeds have already packed their bags. Alexander Zverev was knocked out by Matteo Berrettini. Novak Djokovic bowed out early to Alejandro Tabilo. Even Casper Ruud, a clay-court regular, couldn’t get past Alexei Popyrin. And now, Indian Wells champion Jack Draper has joined the list of shock exits. And his opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, is still critical of himself after this monumental victory.
Draper went down to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a dramatic, energy-draining match that lasted two hours and 47 minutes on Court Rainier III. The Spaniard, who is no stranger to long battles, outlasted the Brit in a match that had everything. Davidovich Fokina broke early to go 2-0 up, but Draper hit back to level at 2-2. The Spaniard broke again in the eighth game and took the first set 6-3. The second set went to a tie-break, where Draper saved match point at 5-6 and snatched the set. In the decider, Davidovich Fokina led 3-1, Draper levelled at 3-3, but a 10th double fault at 4-5 sealed his defeat.
The frustration was clear. Draper even yelled, “Wake up! Wake up!” after being broken during the match. And as if the drama on the court wasn’t enough, a brief medical delay paused play when someone in the stands fainted. It was a wild afternoon in Monaco.
In his on-court interview after the match, Davidovich Fokina didn’t hold back his emotions. He said, “I’m very emotional. Very sorry for the way I behaved on court and the way I couldn’t control my emotions. I have to respect myself and my team. Today was tough”. Speaking in Spanish, he said, “Emotionally one of my worst matches of the year.”
In Spanish. “Emotionally one of my worst matches of the year”.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) April 10, 2025
Despite the rollercoaster, this win means a lot. Davidovich Fokina has now reached his fifth Masters quarter-final—and his third in Monte Carlo. He’s climbed to 10th in the live ATP Race to Turin rankings with 1,010 points. Slowly but surely, the 25-year-old is putting the pieces together after a lacklustre 2024 season.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina opens up on “new goals” this year
Last year didn’t go the way he hoped. He started 2024 ranked 26th in the world but finished it at 61st. His win-loss record was a flat 21–22. He had a big win over Daniil Medvedev at the National Bank Open, only to retire in the next round against Matteo Arnaldi. And his Grand Slam record was forgettable—no progress beyond the second round in any of the majors.
But 2025 is shaping up differently. Davidovich Fokina made it to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the first time in his career. He pulled off back-to-back wins from two sets down, becoming the first man in 20 years to do so at the Aussie Open. He did it against Félix Auger-Aliassime and Jakub Mensik. That’s not luck—that’s resilience.
The Spaniard also been in two finals this year already. One at the Delray Beach Open (ATP 250) and the other at the Mexican Open (ATP 500). His form has been solid, and his confidence is back.
Speaking to Tennis Channel earlier, he shared a little more insight. “The last two years haven’t been easy for me. I lost several times in the first round, which was very frustrating. But this year, I set myself the goal of rediscovering my game a bit and starting from scratch, exploring my possibilities to play better. I feel a lot of confidence this season, which is reflected in the number of matches I’m winning, further boosting my confidence. I have a new team, which is essential. I also have new goals in mind, goals I haven’t revealed yet… and won’t reveal (laughs). For me right now, it’s all about staying on the court—that’s the real joy. My goal is always to win every match, but I believe the key is to savor every moment, every shot.”
Next up, Davidovich Fokina faces Alexei Popyrin in the quarterfinals on Friday. Davidovich Fokina seems to be hitting his stride again. But will he keep up the momentum in Monte Carlo?
The post “One of My Worst Matches,” Despite Thrilling Victory Against Jack Draper, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Remains Critical of His On-Court Demeanor appeared first on EssentiallySports.
