In Monte Carlo, a dramatic chapter closed with a display that will echo through the annals of this renowned Masters 1000 event. The reigning champion, a Spanish talent named Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, could not surprise Stefanos Tsitsipas, who edged him in a fiercely contested final that finished 3-6, 6-7(3). The night marked a milestone for Davidovich, who entered the top 30 in the world rankings for the first time, a testament to his rise on the clay and his resilience against a formidable opponent.
The opening exchanges suggested a promising night for the corner player. Early on, in the third game of the first set, Davidovich broke Tsitsipas’s serve and jumped ahead to lead 3-1, signaling a potential upset. Yet Tsitsipas, seasoned and composed, steadied the ship with a well-timed series of holds and breaks, leveling the score and regaining momentum as the set progressed. He found his rhythm, pressing with precision and exploiting his experience to control the tempo of the rallies. By the end of the first set, Tsitsipas had reclaimed the initiative and closed it out 6-3 after forcing a decisive break late in the frame.
The second set unfolded with a similar arc: a tense, high-quality duel that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. Davidovich, drawing strength from the sustained support of a partisan Monaco crowd that roared “Foki, Foki” throughout, responded with grit and bursts of white-hot counterpunching. He seized a rare stretch of control in a long game, sweeping three straight points to level and then pressing forward with renewed aggression. The match tempo shifted as Davidovich invoked a string of games that ran 3-0 in his favor, punctuating his comeback with a pair of aggressive returns and a display of shot-making that reminded onlookers of his potential when he is firing on all cylinders.
Momentum swung back as Tsitsipas found his bearings again. He halted the momentum in that critical stretch and established a fresh hold, breaking serve to move ahead 4-3 and later again to set up a serve to finish the match. The Greek showed the poise of a veteran finalist, maintaining consistency under pressure and turning the private struggle into a public showcase of skill and nerve. Yet the drama continued to unfold as the crowd urged Davidovich forward, with the Malaga native weaving together bravura strokes and stubborn defense that kept the final alive and tense until the last points were played.
Davidovich’s always-tenacious style, reminiscent of his best moments in Paris against top rivals, was clear in the way he positioned himself at crucial moments. He reached 15-40 in a pivotal service game and, although he could not convert the opportunity on that exact occasion, his resilience pressed Tsitsipas to navigate a nerve-wracking final phase. The two players traded quality exchanges, and the stage was set for a dramatic finish that would decide the championship and secure Tsitsipas’s claim to the Monte Carlo title for the season.
The noise from the stands intensified as the close of the match approached, with the audience witnessing a contest that mixed power, touch, and strategic depth. Tsitsipas, displaying composure in the face of a rising rival, withstood the final surge and converted his chances in the tiebreak. Davidovich, refusing to surrender, fought until the very last ball, leaving no doubt about his status among the elite. The outcome underscored a milestone in Davidovich’s career, illustrating his ascent toward the upper echelons of men’s tennis and signaling a promising future that teams and fans alike will monitor with interest. The final moment, a testament to a hard-fought battle, left the arena acknowledging a player who is now poised to contend with the best in the world and push his game to new heights in the seasons to come, securing his place among tennis’s rising stars and signaling the continued evolution of his craft.