Davidovich Fokina won the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, taking down Rafael Jodar in a three-set comeback to claim his biggest career title yet. Down a set and a break early, the Spanish player clawed back to win 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.
This marks Fokina's third title of 2024, but Shanghai is the one that matters. A Masters 1000 event sits above the smaller tournaments that made up his earlier wins this year. He's been grinding toward a result like this for years, and he finally delivered when it counted.
The tiebreak in the second set was the turning point. Jodar had him by the throat early, dictating play and forcing errors. Fokina steadied himself, found his rhythm, and won the points that mattered. Once he leveled the match, the third set played out in his favor. Jodar couldn't maintain the intensity that got him the first set.
For a player ranked outside the elite tier, a Masters title changes the trajectory. It opens doors, boosts ranking points significantly, and proves he can beat top competition over a week-long event. Fokina showed up in Shanghai when everyone was watching.