Alcaraz ousts Davidovich Fokina to move into Monte Carlo final

MONTE CARLO – Carlos Alcaraz stormed into his first Masters final in 13 months when he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (7-2),6-4 on April 12, but not before his Spanish compatriot saved five match points in a gruelling encounter.

Second seed Alcaraz found it difficult to break Davidovich Fokina, succeeding only three times in 19 attempts, and he also wasted three set points in an opening set that lasted over an hour.

Davidovich Fokina was imperious in his defensive game but Alcaraz lifted his service in the second set, in which he did not face a single break point, and reached his first Masters final since he won at Indian Wells in 2024.

He will face Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in the April 13 final after the world No. 16 beat Australia’s 10th-ranked Alex de Minaur 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) in the other semi-final.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had the chance to win a title on clay and I can’t wait to try my luck again here,” said Alcaraz, who was beaten in the Olympic final by Novak Djokovic in Paris last August.

“I just had to be patient and believe that this moment was going to come again. Sometimes the people are not patient, they want me to make the final in every tournament.”

The world No. 3 sealed the win with a sizzling forehand winner down the line to move into his first final in Monte Carlo.

If the 21-year-old wins his first Monte Carlo crown, and a sixth Masters title, he will take over the world No. 2 spot from Alexander Zverev.

Davidovich Fokina and Alcaraz shared a warm embrace at the net and a laugh, before Alcaraz praised his 42nd-ranked compatriot.

“I think I played really good tennis from the beginning until the