Davidovich Fokina won the Shanghai Masters after storming back from a set and a break down. The Spanish player beat Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 to claim his biggest title to date and his third tournament win this season.
Fokina looked finished after dropping the first set. He faced a break down in the second set but refused to fold. He clawed his way back into the match, forcing a tiebreaker that he won 7-5. The third set never felt close after that. Fokina controlled the baseline and broke Jodar twice to seal it.
This win matters because Fokina has been knocking on the door of a breakthrough title for years. He's a talented ball-striker with legitimate weapons, but he hadn't put together a full week until now. Shanghai is a Masters 1000 event, so this is a legit top-tier trophy. He'll crack the top 10 of the rankings following this run.
Jodar gave everything but couldn't maintain the level that carried him through the draw. Once Fokina found his rhythm in the second set, the momentum shifted completely.