The key facts

  • Davidovich Fokina defeated Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the Shanghai Masters semifinal
  • The Spaniard extended his winning streak in China to nine matches after his Chengdu title
  • Zverev, who will finish the year as world No. 1, cited fatigue and an ankle injury

A sensation in the semifinal

Tournament top seed Alexander Zverev suffered a defeat to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the semifinal of the Shanghai Masters on Saturday. The Spaniard, ranked 26th, dropped the first set but turned the match around and won 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. In Sunday's final he will face either Daniil Medvedev or his fellow Spaniard Rafael Jodar.

Course of the match

The first set featured long rallies: Zverev, despite a number of inaccurate shots, did not lose a single service game, converted the key break point at 6-5 and took the set with an ace. In the second set the German began moving noticeably with more difficulty, Davidovich Fokina kept increasing the pressure and leveled the match at one set apiece. In the deciding set the Spaniard immediately pulled ahead 3-0; Zverev saved two match points, but only briefly.

Streak in China and the winner's words

The 27-year-old Spaniard extended his winning streak in China to nine matches after his title at the ATP 250 tournament in Chengdu. 'I was a bit nervous,' he said about his uncertain start. 'But I kept going forward, kept fighting for every ball.' His game combined tenacity, quick returns and drop shots.

Zverev: fatigue and injury

Zverev, the reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion who will top the world rankings at the end of the year, told journalists that fatigue had caught up with him: 'I was carrying a minor injury, I was carrying fatigue into the tournament, and I don't mind losing today to a player like that.' He noted that he sometimes felt his ankle in Shanghai, added that a break is 'absolutely necessary right now,' and said he will monitor his form ahead of the Vienna tournament, which starts on October 24.