De Minaur Fights Back To Win DC Open Title
In a dramatic final on Sunday evening in the United States capital, Australia’s Alex de Minaur came back from a set down, and saved three championship points, to defeat Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) and win the Mubadala Citi DC Open championship.
De Minaur faced three match points while serving at 4-5 in the deciding third set, and that came soon after Davidovich Fokina served for the title while leading 5-3, only to see de Minaur break from 0/30 down.
“It’s something about this court. I did it in 2018 against Rublev, and honestly, I just kind of knew I could do it,” de Minaur said, citing his comeback against Andrey Rublev seven years ago. “I just backed myself and I told myself to commit no matter what, and if I lost this match it was going to be on my terms. Today it went my way. I’ve had a couple of brutal ones not go my way, so I’m glad this one went my way.”
Davidovich Fokina was seeking his first career tour-level crown, but was unable to do so in heartbreaking fashion, but de Minaur offered him kind words during the trophy presentation.
“You’re way too good to not have one of these [trophies]. It’s coming for sure,” the Australian said. “You deserved it today. I just got lucky. You are a hell of a competitor, a 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.”
With his performance this week, Davidovich Fokina is up seven spots and begins this week at 19th in the world.
The win earns De Minaur his 10th career ATP Tour-Level title, and he moves up five spots in the rankings to sit at eighth in the world.
“I’m very happy with where I am at the moment, how I’m dealing with things on and off the court. I had the mindset that even if today didn’t go my way, it was a very positive week,” said de Minaur. “So I was proud of my efforts no matter what, but jeez it feels good to hold my 10th title.”
