Davidovich-Fokina relishing Kyrgios challenge: "I increase my level and I prefer to play in those stadiums"
ATP
Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina will step on court with Nick Kyrgios at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Tuesday with the Aussie one of the most in-form players on tour right now.
Many would fear this challenge but it is one the Spaniard will relish and embrace.
“I always say that I prefer to play on the big stadiums,” Davidovich Fokina told ATPTour.com. “I increase my level and I prefer to play in those stadiums. With Kyrgios, who is a showman, it is for sure going to be a fun match to watch.”
“He’s playing very good. He’s on fire right now. For sure it is going to be a tough match. I will do my best. I will try to bother him on his serve, try my best and let’s see what happens.”
An interesting story, Davidovich Fokina has six tattoos including a tsunami and ying and yang and he hopes to translate both the aggression and calming energy onto the court.
“With my team and myself, we always say I am like a tsunami," he continued. “Where I go, I race. I just wanted to have it on my body to remember every day what that means.”
“A long time ago I was more like a tsunami off the court [too], I was more impatient. I want to do a lot of things at one time. Now I’m more quiet, more calm. Every year the energy is going down. I’m getting older! Now I’m starting to be more patient and I can transmit that to the court, too.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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