Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s Shanghai Victory Raises Questions for the ATP Tour
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina captured the ATP Masters 1000 title in Shanghai after a remarkable performance. In the final, he overcame Rafael Jodar with a scoreline of 1-6, 7-6(7-5), 6-4. Along the way, Davidovich Fokina also defeated top-seeded Alexander Zverev and Frances Tiafoe, marking this as the biggest trophy of his career so far.
Inspired by Arthur Fils’ Comeback
The Spanish player credited his inspiration to his friend Arthur Fils, who made a strong return from injury earlier this year. Davidovich Fokina said, "I remember now when Arthur Fils, he’s a very good friend of mine and he skipped a lot of tournaments this year. And he came back stronger, winning all the matches. So that gave me a lot of power. If he can do it, I can do it too."
New Approach to Scheduling?
This mindset highlights an emerging trend among players who don’t need to compete constantly to find success. They appear able to pick and choose their events, entering only when they feel ready. While Davidovich Fokina and Fils missed time due to injuries, others might take breaks simply to rest and recharge ahead of important parts of the season.
Veteran Novak Djokovic embodies this approach, competing only when prepared. Djokovic recently won the China Open. Similarly, Davidovich Fokina’s fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz missed over four months because of a wrist injury but quickly returned to form, winning the Japan Open and making a US Open quarterfinal in his first event back.
Implications for the ATP Tour
This shift could force the ATP Tour, tournament organizers, and sponsors to reconsider their expectations. Some star players have already curtailed their seasons early, including Jannik Sinner and Joao Fonseca. The desire for big names to appear frequently might not align with players' choices to manage their schedules more selectively.
If this trend continues, it may cause challenges for those relying on star power to attract fans and sponsors, suggesting a potential reevaluation of how professional tennis operates.
