Davidovich Fokina beats Fritz to reach first semi at Masters event
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina continued his wonder run at the Monte Carlo Masters on Friday with a three-set victory over 10th seed Taylor Fritz to reach the semi-final for the first time at a Masters 1000 tournament. The Spaniard will play Grigor Dimitrov for a place in Sunday's final.
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Davidovich Fokina, the world number 46, rocked the tournament on Tuesday when he beat the top seed Novak Djokovic in three sets in the second round.
He followed that with a straight sets victory over David Goffin in the last 16 on Thursday.
And the 22-year-old displayed the same grit and determination that had steered him past Djokovic to reach the last four at an event - rated just below the four Grand Slam tournaments in terms of prestige.
“I am so, so happy,” Davidovich Fokina said in his on-court interview.
“Last year I reached the quarter-finals. The emotions to be in the semi-finals are so high.
"In the first set I had a lot of chances to break but I didn’t do it. But I just stayed focused and believed in myself.”
Last year at the event, Davidovich Fokina beat the top 10 player Matteo Berrettini en route to the last eight.
Earlier this year he enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals in Doha. But he arrived in Monte Carlo off the back of three straight defeats.
Boost
“When you beat the world number one it gives you a lot of confidence physically, mentally and technically,” Davidovich Fokina added.
“I am pushing myself every match to play harder and harder.”
Davidovich Fokina will play Dimitrov after the former world number three saw off the 11th seed Hubert Hurkacz in three sets.
Dimitrov took the opener 6-4. But Hurkacz hit back to claim the second 6-3.
Hurkacz staved off two break points while serving to level at 4-4 in the decider. And in the next game, the 25-year-old Pole set up one of his own with a running forehand pass after a badly placed Dimitrov volley.
But Hurkacz fluffed his chance to serve out the match at 5-4.
However, he showed nerve and good hands at the net to match point on two occasions while serving to make it all square at 6-6.
But from 1-1 in the final set tiebreak, Dimitrov went on a four-point winning streak to take command at five points to one.
Although Hurkacz stopped the rot with a service winner, Dimitrov won the next point to notch up four consecutive match points.
The 30-year-old wrapped up proceedings after two hours and 27 minutes with a service winner.
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