Alejandro Davidovich Fokina won the Shanghai Masters final against Rafael Jódar Camacho 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. The Spaniard turned the match around after losing the opening set convincingly, prevailing after 2 hours and 28 minutes on the outdoor hard court. It was Davidovich Fokina's first ATP Masters 1000 title and his third tour-level title overall.
Rafael Jódar Camacho dominates the opener
Rafael Jódar Camacho made the far better start. The 20-year-old controlled rallies from the baseline, put Alejandro Davidovich Fokina under early pressure and took the first set 6-1. Davidovich Fokina could barely make an impact on his opponent's serve and was forced to compete in extended exchanges from difficult positions.
Jódar Camacho remained the more aggressive player at the start of the second set as well, opening up a lead that pushed Davidovich Fokina further onto the back foot. The 1.91-metre-tall Madrileño held serve consistently throughout and finished the match with 12 aces. His opponent, by contrast, needed time to find the length in his groundstrokes.
Davidovich Fokina forces the turnaround
The picture shifted as the second set progressed. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina stepped up the pressure on return and began moving forward more frequently. The rallies became more even, and Rafael Jódar Camacho was unable to maintain the dominance he had shown early on.
The pivotal moment came in the tiebreak. Despite having dropped the first set, Davidovich Fokina kept his composure, played with greater boldness and took the tiebreak 7-5 to level the match and lay the foundation for his comeback. Jódar Camacho had struck 38 winners in total, yet Davidovich Fokina handled the pressure better on the key points.
Third set delivers first Masters title
Davidovich Fokina carried his momentum into the third set. He moved with greater confidence, varied the pace and forced his opponent into prolonged defensive spells. Jódar Camacho remained a threat, but the 27-year-old was more clinical when opportunities arose and closed out the set 6-4.
The match statistics highlighted how tight the contest was despite the lopsided opening set. Davidovich Fokina won 71 per cent of his service games and converted 52 per cent of second-serve points. Rafael Jódar Camacho won 51 per cent of points overall, but in the decisive phases of the second and third sets it was the more experienced finalist who held firm.
What the result means for both Spaniards
It was the first meeting between the two Spaniards on the ATP Tour. Davidovich Fokina entered the tournament seeded 25th and ranked 26th in the world. He had never previously progressed beyond the third round in Shanghai. On his way to the final he saved a match point against Frances Tiafoe and came back from a set down against both Hubert Hurkacz and Alexander Zverev.
For Rafael Jódar Camacho it was his first Masters 1000 final. The 12th seed had beaten Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 in the semifinal — his biggest result at this level to date. The all-Spanish final guaranteed Spain a champion in Shanghai regardless of the outcome. Ultimately, however, the trophy went to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who found the right answers after a shaky start.
