Alejandro Davidovich Fokina secured a significant upset by defeating top-seeded Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Shanghai Masters final on October 17. The 25th-seeded Spaniard, who previously beat Zverev once in eight meetings, including a 2023 victory at the Canadian Open, showcased resilience and precision over the course of the two-hour match. Davidovich Fokina fired 36 winners and broke Zverev’s serve early in the third set, maintaining his momentum to close out the contest.

Davidovich Fokina credited his physical endurance and mental focus for the win, noting that he concentrated on enjoying the match rather than the outcome. This marks his second ATP Masters 1000 final; he was runner-up at Monte Carlo in 2022 and is now aiming for his third career title after winning the ATP 250 Chengdu Open last month.

Zverev, ranked world No. 2 and the reigning French and US Open champion, attributed his loss partly to fatigue and a lingering ankle injury. The 29-year-old acknowledged carrying injury concerns into the tournament and said he would reassess his condition ahead of the Vienna Open, starting October 24. Despite the defeat, Zverev regarded the loss as acceptable given Davidovich Fokina’s performance.

In the Shanghai final, Davidovich Fokina is set to face fellow Spaniard Rafael Jodar, 20, who upset fifth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first Masters final. Jodar, seeded 12th, is seeking his second career title.

Meanwhile, at the Wuhan Open in China, rising British player Sonya Kartal advanced to the WTA 1000 final by overcoming former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in two tight tiebreak sets, 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (7-5). Ranked No. 170, Kartal, who has recently returned from a six-month injury hiatus caused by a spinal stress fracture, has emerged as the lowest-ranked player to reach a WTA 1000 final. Her path to the final included notable wins against Elina Svitolina and two-time Grand Slam finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Kartal will face French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska, who defeated six-time major winner Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 in the semifinals. Chwalinska, the higher-ranked Polish player who also reached the French Open final as a qualifier, is competing for her first career title.

In other tennis news, Novak Djokovic accepted a wildcard entry for the ATP 500 Basel tournament later this month. The 39-year-old, a 24-time Grand Slam winner and seven-time ATP Finals champion, is seeking to improve his ranking in the Race to Turin, currently positioned 11th and outside the top eight qualifying spots for the year-end event scheduled from November 15 to 22. Djokovic’s last appearance in Basel was in 2011, and he recently won his 102nd career title at the Beijing Open before an early exit at Shanghai.

Separately, Brazilian player Joao Fonseca announced he would not compete for the remainder of 2026 due to injury. The 29th-ranked Fonseca did not specify the nature of the injury but missed the US Open with an abdominal issue.