Jodar Suffers Surprising Loss to Federer in the Final: Davidovich Fokina Pulls Off an Upset

Rising Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar will have to wait a little longer for his first Masters 1000 title. The 20-year-old Spanish player, widely regarded as a future rival to Jannik Sinner, was defeated in the Shanghai final by his compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who staged a comeback to win 1-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Jodar got off to a blistering start, closing out the first set with a decisive 6-1 victory that seemed to have put the match on an easy path. Instead, his 27-year-old opponent fought back, managing to force a tiebreak in the second set and then winning the tiebreak to even the match. In the final set, Jodar suffered a noticeable physical decline, which even forced him to seek treatment from the physical therapist. Davidovich Fokina capitalized on the opportunity and closed out the set 6-4, claiming the first 1000-level title of his career. This is his third title this year: he is now ranked 13th in the ATP rankings, his best result ever.

Jodar was let down by his inexperience and his physical condition. Roger Federer was also in the stands and applauded him during the first set, which Jodar had literally dominated. Then came the sharp decline that cost him his first major title. “You train every day for moments like these. I feel a great sense of relief; I never stopped believing,” said Davidovich Fokina.

Jodar’s week in Shanghai was also marked by an incident that sparked debate on social media. During his match against Van de Zandschulp, Jodar had hurled harsh words at a ball boy who was about to hand him a towel, receiving a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct in a video that quickly went viral. After his victory over Ruud, the Spaniard publicly apologized: “I shouldn’t have treated the ball kid the way I did; I have great respect for them and for the umpires. I didn’t mean to hurt him; I just couldn’t control my emotions.” He added: “In addition to learning how to hit a forehand or a backhand, I’m also learning how to conduct myself on the court.”