Davidovich Fokina fights back to beat Jodar for first Masters 1000 title in Shanghai

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has finally won the big one. The Spaniard came from a set and a break down to beat 20-year-old compatriot Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final on Sunday, 18 October, claiming his first ATP Masters 1000 title after two hours and 28 minutes at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena.

A slow start, then a turnaround

Jodar, the 12th seed, dominated the opening set and was ahead early in the second as Davidovich Fokina struggled to find his range. The 25th seed held firm, forced a tiebreak and edged it 7-5 to level the match, then pulled away in the deciding set to close it out 6-4.

"I don't have any words right now," Davidovich Fokina said after the match, describing the win as a huge relief.

His route to the trophy was full of escapes. He saved a match point against Frances Tiafoe in the third round, came from a set down to beat Hubert Hurkacz, and did the same against top seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Jodar reached the final by beating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4.

From final heartbreak to three straight titles

For years Davidovich Fokina was known as a talented player who could not close out finals. He lost his first five tour-level finals, including the 2022 Monte-Carlo Masters final, his only previous appearance in a Masters 1000 title match.

That record has flipped in 2026. He won in Mallorca, then returned from roughly two months out with a back problem to take the Chengdu title in late September. Shanghai makes it three finals and three titles this year, and he is now on a 10-match winning streak in China. He is the first Spanish man to win the Shanghai title and the 16th different Spaniard to lift a Masters 1000 trophy.

Jodar's breakthrough fortnight

Defeat was hard on Jodar, who became the first man born in 2006 to reach a Masters 1000 final. He came from a set down in four of his five matches before the final and had spent more than 11 hours on court, almost three hours more than his opponent, and he also twisted his ankle late in the final.

Even so, the run lifts him to a career-high No. 11 in the ATP rankings this week. A title would have taken him into the top 10 for the first time and strengthened his late push for a place at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin in November.

A draw without the top two

The tournament was played without Jannik Sinner, who withdrew with a knee injury, and Carlos Alcaraz, who pulled out citing physical issues after winning in Tokyo. That opened the draw for a new name, and the final was the latest sign that the next wave of Spanish tennis extends well beyond Alcaraz.

The ATP Tour now moves indoors this week, with ATP 250 events in Almaty, Brussels and Lyon, as players chasing the last spots for Turin try to add points before the season-ending Masters event in Paris.

Key takeaways

• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 to win the Shanghai Masters.
• It is his first Masters 1000 title after losing his first five tour-level finals.
• He has won all three of his finals in 2026: Mallorca, Chengdu and Shanghai.
• Jodar, 20, rises to a career-high No. 11 after becoming the first man born in 2006 to reach a Masters 1000 final.
• Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz both withdrew before the tournament.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Shanghai Masters? Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain won the title, beating Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 in the final on 18 October.

Is this Davidovich Fokina's first Masters 1000 title? Yes. His only previous Masters 1000 final was at Monte-Carlo in 2022, which he lost. Shanghai is his third tour-level title overall.

Why were Sinner and Alcaraz missing from Shanghai? Sinner withdrew because of a knee injury, while Alcaraz pulled out citing physical issues after his title run in Tokyo.

Sources: ATP Tour, Tennis Majors, ESPN, Sky Sports, Flashscore