By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Photo credit: Hannah Peters/Getty
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has transformed an impossible dream into an astonishing reality.
Ranked No. 66 in the world, Davidovich Fokina made headlines by making a remarkable comeback from a two-set deficit, stunning Felix Auger-Aliassime with a score of 6-7(7), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3. This victory marks his first advancement to the third round of the Australian Open after five attempts at Melbourne Park.
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The agile Spaniard showcased his impressive court coverage, endurance, and precision shots during a thrilling match that lasted nearly five hours and wrapped up around 1:10 a.m. Melbourne time.
The match had to be relocated to Court 7 due to a raucous crowd of seemingly intoxicated fans nearby. In what proved to be a tense final set, Davidovich Fokina faced a point penalty for a time violation, prompting a brief dispute where he called for the supervisor to advocate for him.
Despite this setback, Davidovich Fokina defended all four break points in the final set, delivering a heart-wrenching defeat to 2022 Australian Open quarterfinalist Auger-Aliassime.
The 25-year-old now sets his sights on the 19-year-old sensation Jakub Mensik in a pivotal encounter for a place in the round of 16.
This powerful teen from Czechia rocketed into his first Australian Open third round by toppling sixth seed Casper Ruud with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Ranked 48th, Mensik has embraced inspiration from the illustrious paths of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and reigning champions Carlos Alcaraz, both of whom found success in their teenage years.
“All the young players, whether present or absent, are striving to reach the same heights,” Mensik commented. “Look at Jannik and Carlos; just a couple of years ago, they were still teenagers.”
“It’s not just an opportunity, but a motivation for me to follow their lead, aim for the same levels, and continue to evolve as a player,” he added.
