“You’re going to be the one to beat Carlos and Jannik”: Davidovich Fokina praises Fonseca as the next challenger to Sinner and Alcaraz

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina showed his trademark sportsmanship despite losing the Swiss Indoors Basel final 3-6, 4-6 to Joao Fonseca. The Spaniard congratulated his opponent warmly in his post-match speech. “Man, you played unbelievable tennis today,” Davidovich said, acknowledging the young Brazilian’s dominant performance. “You’re the future of this sport, and you have a very bright future ahead. For sure, you’re going to be the next Nole — the one to beat Carlos and Jannik.”

The 26-year-old Spaniard reflected on his season, which has seen him reach four finals in 2025, but remain without an ATP title. “It’s been a really good year — I can’t complain. Four finals this season, but they always give me heartbreak in the end,” he admitted. Despite the string of near-misses, Davidovich remains determined to break through, demonstrating resilience that has earned him consistent results on the ATP Tour.

Davidovich also took time to thank the people closest to him. “I want to say thanks to my team again. Another final… and also to my wife for coming today, and to all the people who have supported me throughout this year,” he said.

The Spaniard’s measured tone contrasted with the heartbreak of another final loss, marking his fifth consecutive defeat in ATP-level finals and fourth in 2025 alone. Yet, the setback comes with a silver lining. Despite missing out on the trophy, Davidovich is set to achieve a career-high ranking of No. 15 in the world, reflecting his consistency and improvement over the season.

Davidovich emphasized his commitment to continuous improvement. “It’s not easy to handle me, of course, but I think I’m improving,” he said. “I believe we’ll have another opportunity soon to finally become champions. Today, I gave my all, and I can’t really say much more about it.”

The Spaniard extended his appreciation to everyone involved in the tournament. “I also want to thank Vodkic, the sponsors, the ATP staff, everyone — the laundry guys, the lunch team — every single person who worked here has been so kind and respectful to me,” he said. His attention to acknowledging the broader team highlights a professional attitude rare among young stars.

Davidovich’s loss against Fonseca, however, does not overshadow the historic significance of the moment. Despite the disappointment, he confirmed his upward trajectory by guaranteeing a new career-high ranking. His performance throughout the week demonstrated both skill and resilience, suggesting that a first ATP title could be imminent if he continues on this path.

The Spanish player’s optimistic outlook for the future was evident as he closed his remarks. “I don’t know for sure, but I promise I’ll give 100% to be back next year. Thank you so much,” he said, leaving the crowd with a sense of admiration for his determination. Davidovich Fokina may still be searching for his first title, but his blend of talent, perseverance, and humility ensures he remains a player to watch.

Davidovich leaves a final empty-handed for the fifth time in his career. His first final was back in the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters, where he fell to the then world No. 3, Stefanos Tsitsipas – who was the defending champion and, to date, has three titles at the same tournament.

Three years had to pass for Davidovich Fokina to appear in a final again, a peculiar number for a player who has remained in the top-50 for the last five seasons but has struggled to reach the championship matches. However, this 2025 he has ventured into decisive matches time and again, although still without success.

In February of this year, he played the final of the ATP 250 Delray Beach Open – losing in three sets to Miomir Kecmanovic, after squandering match points – and the following week he fell in the final of the ATP 500 Mexican Open against Tomas Machac in straight sets. He would have another opportunity for revenge back in July at the DC Open, but again he wasted his chances, failed to capitalize on his three match points, and ended up falling to Alex de Minaur in the third-set tie-break. This time against Fonseca, Davidovich is once again left empty-handed.