PREVIEW DC Open ATP Final: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina seeks first crown against consistent Alex De Minaur

The DC Open final is set, without the presence of local stars. Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will seek his first title against the consistency and pedigree of Alex de Minaur.

The Spaniard defeated Taylor Fritz (1st seed) and Ben Shelton (4th seed) on his path, accumulating five wins against top-10 players this season. The former world No. 21 will play his third final of the season and will be looking for his maiden ATP title.

He will face Australian Alex de Minaur, who capitalized on the fall of other favorites to reach the 19th final of his career (9-9 record). He will have the chance to add his third ATP 500 title and first of the season, while consistently ensuring his return to the top 10.

Davidovich Fokina's career has seen him remain a significant name on Tour for several seasons. The Spaniard debuted in the top 30 in 2022 after reaching the Monte-Carlo Masters final and has been consistent in staying in the upper echelons of the ranking. An injury caused him to drop in the rankings a year ago, but he has made a strong comeback with several deep runs.

In fact, the Spaniard already has 32 wins this season, placing him among the top 5 for most victories this season, tied in that position with Fritz. He precisely defeated the American world No. 4 in the quarterfinals – marking the second time he has beaten him this season. Davidovich also overcame Jaume Munar, Learner Tien, and 4th seed Ben Shelton in the semifinals on his way to the final.

It's surprising that at 26 years old, and with the consistency the Spaniard has shown in his career, he still hasn't won an ATP-level title. However, his great week in D.C. gives him a new opportunity, and he has already proven his ability to be a significant challenge for any opponent on Tour. He has already secured his entry into the top 20 at the end of the tournament – currently sitting at world No. 19, and could reach No. 17 if he wins the title.

Even better would be the confidence boost that finally achieving that long-awaited first career title would give the Spaniard, being the only player in the top 40 without a trophy in his career.

Always quietly effective, De Minaur has become a stable top-10 player over the last year and a regular top-30 member since 2018.

The Australian did not have an easy draw, defeating Bu Yunchaokete in the first round without problems, although he had a tough battle against Czech Jiri Lehecka in the second round (7-6, 6-7, 6-4). Overcoming the 11th seed gave him a confidence boost, after which he had no difficulties against Brandon Nakashima or Corentin Moutet.

De Minaur has 9 ATP titles and has reached another 9 finals. Experience could be an advantage, especially against an opponent who will be under pressure to seek his first title. De Minaur guaranteed his return to the top 10 after reaching the tournament final, and winning the title would propel him to No. 8 precisely before the Canadian Open.

Both players know each other well by now, both belonging to the same generation at 26 years old. In a hardcourt tournament like the DC Open, De Minaur and Davidovich usually stand out more for their ability to maintain rallies from the baseline and great return game, rather than winning too many free points from serve.

They have four previous encounters, with two wins for each. The last one was in the semifinals of the Canadian Open 2023, where De Minaur was victorious to reach his first Masters 1000 final. The Australian has won their only two hardcourt encounters, which could be an important precedent for the match.

Nevertheless, it looks like a balanced match with chances for both sides, although De Minaur is a slight favorite to win the title. Davidovich probably defeated more renowned opponents in the tournament and will be at maximum confidence. It would not be surprising if the match is long and we see a few breaks for each player.