Davidovich Fokina Claims Maiden Title at Mallorca Championships
In a thrilling match, Fokina triumphs over Quinn with a score of 7–6, 6–3, celebrating his first ever ATP Tour title!
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, after an intense journey of five final defeats, has finally clinched his first ATP Tour title. His path to victory included a straight-sets win over former world number #3 Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals, followed by a three-set battle against former world #36 Fabian Marozsan, leading him to his inaugural grass court final.
It was a fitting moment for the twenty-seven-year-old, as he earned his first ATP title on his home turf, becoming the first Spaniard to lift the trophy at the ATP 250 event in Mallorca.
The intensity of the match was heightened given his opponent’s prowess. Ethan Quinn, hailing from Fresno, California, was making his Tour-level final debut. The 2023 NCAA champion from Georgia Bulldogs is currently ranked #63 and peaked at #48 in April. In the semifinals, the twenty-two-year-old showcased his skills by overpowering former world #30 Nuno Borges from Portugal with a decisive 6–1, 6–2 victory.
Fokina, the #2 seed and currently ranked #25 (with a career-high of #14 achieved last fall), faced Quinn for the first time in an exhilarating championship showdown.
Fokina opted to receive first. Quinn delivered a strong start, converting 3/4 first serves, including a standout ace, to hold his serve. Fokina swiftly followed suit with two winners to maintain pace. As the match unfolded, Quinn’s impressive serving continued, hitting two more aces to secure a 2–1 lead, while Fokina faced challenges but managed to hold his serve.
Quinn demonstrated composure beyond his years, even though he faced his first double fault. He bounced back to hold serve at 30. Unfortunately for Fokina, he too committed a double fault, leaving the score at 3–3.
Despite the lack of long rallies, Quinn continued to deliver powerful shots with depth. After a series of mistakes, he faced break points but managed to hold at 6–5, pushing Fokina to a tie-break. The passionate crowd chanted “Foki” as they switched sides with Fokina ahead 4–2. Quinn managed to win a couple of points before Fokina closed out the set with a precise overhead smash.
With Fokina serving first in the second set, he held comfortably. Quinn struggled, delivering his fifth double fault and nearly fell behind but held to tie the set. Fokina showcased his skills, blasting a backhand down the line as he held his serve for 2–1. Quinn, however, couldn’t avoid his sixth double fault and struggled to maintain his service rhythm.
As Fokina approached the finish line, he rattled off three winners, including two aces to go up 5–2. Facing his final moments, Quinn held strong, hitting remarkable forehand winners to stay alive.
Fokina, serving for the title, faced a fierce challenge from Quinn but ultimately sealed his victory with three booming aces, the last one clinching his maiden title!
In an electrifying match that highlighted immense pressure and skill, Fokina’s serving abilities were key to his success: he won an impressive 76% of his first serve points and 52% of his second serves, alongside six aces and only two double faults. On the return, he excelled as well, clinching 23% of first serve points and 56% of second serve returns.
With their sights now set on Wimbledon, both players have just one day to recover before stepping onto the prestigious lawns of the All England Club. Fokina’s best performance at SW19 has been reaching the third round on two occasions in 2023 and 2025, while Quinn debuted last year, making it to the second round.
Quinn’s next challenge is against the #16 seed and world #14, Luciano Darderi, making this their first encounter. Darderi faced a tough run in the Mallorca Championships, falling to Nuno Borges in the quarterfinals.
Fokina, seeded #22 at Wimbledon, will clash with Argentinian left-hander Juan Manuel Cerundolo. This player poses a threat, especially with his 2021 title in Cordoba and his recent strong showing at Roland Garros, where he narrowly lost to world #1 Jannik Sinner in a five-set second-round battle.
Currently riding high at a career ranking of #45, and fresh off his victory at the ATP 175 event in Bordeaux, he is the younger brother of world #21 Francisco Cerundolo, making this first-day clash an exciting one to watch.
