Key Points

Alex de Minaur pulled off a stunning comeback, saving three championship points to defeat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the Washington final. The victory marks his 10th ATP title and boosts his ranking to No. 8. De Minaur credited his mental toughness, while Fokina suffered another heartbreaking loss in a final. The match featured a crucial 16mm lob that kept De Minaur alive in the decisive tiebreak.

Key Points: De Minaur Saves 3 Match Points to Win Washington Title

  • De Minaur rallies from 5-7 down to win 6-1, 7-6(3) in a thriller
  • Aussie climbs to No. 8 in ATP rankings after victory
  • Davidovich Fokina misses third final chance for first ATP title
  • De Minaur credits mental resilience for recent success
2 min read

De Minaur saves 3 championship points to clinch Washington title

Alex de Minaur stages a dramatic comeback, saving three championship points against Davidovich Fokina to claim his 10th ATP title in Washington.

De Minaur saves 3 championship points to clinch Washington title
"It's something about this court. I did it in 2018 against Rublev and honestly, I just kind of knew I could do it. – Alex de Minaur"

Washington, July 28

Alex de Minaur saved three championship points to clinch a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) victory against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, earning his 10th tour-level title in dramatic fashion.

After his title run, De Minaur moved up five places this week to No. 8 in the ATP Live Rankings and two places to eighth in the ATP Live Race To Turin. Fokina rose seven places in the Live Rankings to return to the Top 20 at No. 19, and also shot up seven places to 11th in the Race To Turin.

The Aussie saved three championship points on serve at 5-4 in the final set — but only after breaking from 30/0 when the Spaniard served for the title. De Minaur was 16 millimetres from defeat on his opponent's third match point, but a desperate lob clipped the sideline and helped him turn the point and the match around, ATP reports.

"It's something about this court. I did it in 2018 against Rublev and honestly, I just kind of knew I could do it. 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," said the Aussie.

De Minaur credited his mentality and mindset with his recent success: "I'm very happy with where I am at the moment, how I'm dealing with things on and off the court," he explained. "I had the mindset that even if today didn't go my way, it was a very positive week. So I was proud of my efforts no matter what, but jeez it feels good to hold my 10th title."

For Fokina, who was seeking his first ATP Tour title, it is a cruel blow after he missed out on two championship points in Delray Beach this past February against Miomir Kecmanovic and lost the Acapulco final to Tomas Machac in March.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Heartbreaking for Fokina... second final loss this year. But 16mm from defeat to victory - that's why we love sports! Reminds me of that famous Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final. Hope Fokina gets his title soon.
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Aditya G
While the match was exciting, I feel the article focuses too much on De Minaur. Fokina's journey to the final and his consistent performance deserves equal attention. Both players made this a memorable final.
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Sarah B
Watching this match live was unreal! The tension in that final set... De Minaur's never-say-die attitude is inspiring. Makes me wonder how different Indian tennis would be if we had such mental toughness programs.
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Karthik V
That 16mm lob was pure luck, let's be honest. Great match though! But I think Fokina needs to work on his nerves in big moments. Reminds me of how our Indian players often choke in crucial points.
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Nisha Z
De Minaur's attitude is what makes him special. "Proud of my efforts no matter what" - this mindset is gold! Indian athletes should learn this instead of just focusing on wins and losses. Process over results! 💯

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