“I don’t know how I won” – No.7 seed Hurkacz sent packing by Davidovich Fokina

Wimbledon 2022 | Draw | Order of play

Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina advanced to the second round of Wimbledon for the first time by defeating Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the No 7 seed, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (8) at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on Monday.

After a contest that featured two rain delays and a squandered two sets to love lead, Davidovich Fokina, ranked No 37 and the 2017 boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon, wasn’t quite sure how he had managed to come away victorious.

“I don’t know how I won this match,” Davidovic Fokina told the crowd after the match. “He had 5-4 the fifth set, and serving with new balls, and I was saying ‘Okay, let’s see what happens.'”

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Tennis Majors

First top-10 win at a Slam

The Spaniard earns his first top-10 win at a major on his fifth try, as well as his first top-10 win on a surface other than clay – he improves to 3-14 overall against the ATP’s top-10.

“It means a lot,” the 23-year-old said after the win. “I had a lot of matches that I played against top-10 players that I didn’t win. Here on grass I confirmed that I can beat anyone.”

Hurkacz, who won the title at Halle just over a week ago with an impressive performance, was considered a favourite to make a deep run at Wimbledon. His best previous result at a major came at Wimbledon last year, where he defeated Roger Federer in the quarter-finals before falling to eventual runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the semi-finals.

Davidovich Fokina improves to 3-2 lifetime against the Pole, and snaps a personal two-match losing streak against him.

“I’m so happy for the win today because I was struggling a little bit, to beat Hurkacz on grass – he did semi-finals here last year – it’s gives me so much confidence.”

A complicated journey to the finish line

It could have been a far less complicated victory for Davidovich Fokina. He served for the match at 5-3 in the third set and had three match points at 40-0. After trying an ill-advised tweener, which sunk into the net, on his first match point, Hurkacz suddenly rallied, claiming the final five points to break serve in the game.

Next came a rain delay, to complicate matters further for the Spaniard.

“I didn’t know if I had to take a lunch or just rest, or sleep,” he said.

Hurkacz took the final three games of the third set, and dominated the fourth to force a decider.

When Hurkacz broke for 3-2 in the final set and held serve for 4-2 and 5-3, the match seemed all but over, but Davidovich broke back for 5-all, then closed out his victory in the tiebreak.

The Spaniard will face Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic in second-round action at Wimbledon.

WIMBLEDON 2022, THE SEED WHO LOST ON THE MEN’S DRAW, 1ST ROUND

Hurkacz (7), Cilic (14, W.O.), Carreño Busta (16)

WIMBLEDON 2022, THE SEEDS WHO WON ON THE MEN’S DRAW, 1ST ROUND

Djokovic (1), Ruud (3), Alcaraz (5), Norrie (9), Sinner (10), Isner (20), Basilashvili (22), Tiafoe (23), Kecmanovic (25), Paul (30), Otte (32)

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