Drama in Monaco: Davidovich Fokina Survives Draper Thriller

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina described his victory over Jack Draper at the Monte-Carlo Masters as a “s*** match” after a rollercoaster three-set encounter. The Spaniard battled through despite admitting to struggling emotionally, while Draper’s clay-court inexperience showed in crucial moments.

A Topsy-Turvy Affair

The match was anything but straightforward, with momentum swinging wildly between the two players. Davidovich Fokina ultimately prevailed 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4, but the scoreline hardly tells the full story of a match filled with errors, emotional outbursts, and moments of brilliance.

Key Moments of the Match:

• First Set: Davidovich Fokina edged a tight opening set, capitalizing on Draper’s missed break point opportunities.
• Second Set: Draper saved a match point in the second set tie-break to force a decider.
• Third Set: Despite falling behind early, Draper fought back, but Davidovich Fokina secured the decisive break in the final game.
• Draper’s struggles: Draper double-faulted 10 times during the match, with the final double fault ending the match.
• Davidovich Fokina’s emotions: Davidovich Fokina admitted to struggling with his emotions during the match.

“A Rollercoaster with My Mind”

Davidovich Fokina was brutally honest in his assessment of his own performance. “Today I didn’t feel at my best or at my best mentally with my strategy,” he said after the match. “It was a rollercoaster with my mind, I didn’t know how to control the emotions and I didn’t respect myself or my team. I am so sorry with how I did today.”

Davidovich Fokina’s Post-Match Comments:

• Expressed dissatisfaction with his mental game and strategy.
• Admitted to struggling to control his emotions.
• Apologized for his behavior during the match.
• Acknowledged Draper could have won due to his own struggles.

Draper’s Clay Court Education Continues

For Jack Draper, the match was another learning experience on clay, a surface where he is still developing his game. While he showed flashes of brilliance, his inconsistency and high error count ultimately cost him the match.

Draper’s Performance:

• Showed fighting spirit to save a match point and force a third set.
• Struggled with his serve, hitting 10 double faults.
• Failed to capitalize on key opportunities.
• Playing in only his third round of a Masters tournament on clay.

Looking Ahead

Davidovich Fokina will now face Alexei Popyrin in the quarter-finals. Draper, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from this defeat as he continues his clay-court season.

Monte-Carlo Masters Quarter-Finals:

• Davidovich Fokina vs. Alexei Popyrin
• Arthur Fils vs. Carlos Alcaraz or Daniel Altmaier

Other Monte-Carlo Masters Highlights

The Monte-Carlo Masters has seen several other notable results, with young Frenchman Arthur Fils reaching his third successive Masters quarter-final. Fils defeated Andrey Rublev in straight sets and will now face a tough test against either Carlos Alcaraz.