The final of the Mubadala Citi Open offered a vivid display of the mental challenges in tennis, as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina faltered against Alex de Minaur despite a strong position. Known for his aggressive style, Davidovich Fokina’s troubles often come from rushing shots rather than hesitation. Sunday’s match underlined this pattern, as he served for the title at 5-3 in the third set and went up 30-0, only to succumb to a sequence of unforced errors including a double fault and a misfired forehand.

His internal battle became increasingly visible, manifesting in intense frustration, arenas of disappointment, and a total collapse of composure in the final stages. Despite squandering three championship points, his competitive spirit never fully diminished during his match points, where he refrained from rushing and acknowledged de Minaur’s superior play.

Davidovich Fokina’s approach to anxiety and pressure, unfortunately, led to his losing from match point up for the second time this year, echoing previous losses in Delray and Acapulco. Yet, his post-match speech was composed and reflective, acknowledging de Minaur’s deserving victory and taking solace in achieving his season goal of breaking into the Top 20.

De Minaur exemplified sportsmanship, consoling his opponent openly on court. “You are a hell of a competitor, a hell of a player. No one on the tour wants to play you. This is not the end, this is only going up for you,” he told Davidovich Fokina. This interaction highlighted the respect and empathy shared between the two, reinforcing that this Washington final is but a waypoint in Davidovich Fokina’s rising career trajectory.

The emotional roller coaster of this match underscores the complexity of mental resilience in tennis, and while the choke remains a haunting foe, the capacity to regain composure and credit the opponent is a testament to true sportsmanship and character.

Following a strong performance in Washington D.C., Ben Shelton has achieved a new career-high ATP ranking of No. 7. This milestone positions him as the second-highest-ranked American male player since Mardy Fish last reached No. 7 in September 2011. Shelton’s consistent form over the last year includes 10 quarterfinal appearances or better, nine of which were at ATP 500 events or higher, highlighted by his Australian Open semifinal earlier this year and two ATP 500 finals last fall in Basel and this spring in Munich.

One ranking place below Shelton, Alex de Minaur moved up to No. 8 after winning the Washington D.C. ATP 500 tournament, marking his highest rank since May. The finalist and runner-up in Washington D.C., Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, makes his top 20 debut, jumping from No. 26 to No. 19. His breakthrough reflects his history of 25 career wins over top 20 opponents.

The ATP rankings also feature upward moves from Alexander Bublik (up from No. 30 to No. 25) after a title win in Kitzbuhel and Luciano Darderi (from No. 46 to No. 35) following his victory in Umag. Additionally, Frenchman Corentin Moutet and Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli both enter the top 50 for the first time based on strong semifinal showings in Washington D.C. and Umag respectively.

On the WTA side, Leylah Fernandez surged from No. 36 to No. 24 after securing her biggest career title in Washington D.C. She defeated Anna Kalinskaya, who also climbed to No. 31. Emma Raducanu improved her ranking from No. 45 to No. 33, reaching her highest position since the 2022 US Open, after a semifinal run in Washington D.C.

Taylor Townsend made significant strides on both fronts, rising from No. 97 to No. 75 in singles after reaching the Washington D.C. quarterfinals, and becoming the first mother to reach No. 1 in WTA doubles rankings following her doubles title win alongside Zhang Shuai.

Venus Williams returned to the WTA rankings for the first time since March 2025, positioned at No. 643 in singles after a second-round appearance in Washington D.C. She also re-entered the doubles rankings at No. 571 following a quarterfinal run in doubles alongside Hailey Baptiste.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina stands among the most notable active players without an ATP singles title after a narrow loss to Alex de Minaur at the Citi DC Open. This status puts him at the forefront of a distinguished group of seven accomplished players who have yet to capture an ATP Tour title despite strong performances.

Fabian Marozsan, ranked 56th and 25 years old, has yet to reach an ATP final but made quarter-finals in Masters events in Shanghai (2023) and Miami (2024). He boasts six top-10 wins, highlighted by his upset of Carlos Alcaraz at the 2023 Italian Open, and reached a career-high ranking of 36th in May 2024.

Tomas Martin Etcheverry is a three-time ATP 250 finalist, all on clay. The Argentine narrowly missed victory in several finals including a 2023 Chile Open loss after holding match point. His best run in a Grand Slam was a quarter-final appearance at the 2023 French Open. He achieved a career peak ranking of 27th in February 2024.

Matteo Arnaldi, ranked 43rd with a career-high of 30th (August 2024), has made impressive deep runs at Masters 1000 tournaments, including a semi-final at the 2024 Canadian Open and a quarter-final in Madrid in 2025. He has five top-10 wins, including a notable upset over Novak Djokovic in Madrid earlier this year.

American Alex Michelsen, aged 20, reached a career-high ranking of 30th in July 2025. Despite losing three ATP 250 finals in the U.S., he showed promise with a fourth-round appearance at the 2025 Australian Open. His finals losses include Newport (twice) and Winston Salem.

Botic van de Zandschulp, currently ranked 86th but once as high as 22nd (August 2022), was twice a finalist at the Munich clay-court 250 event. Both times he faced Holger Rune, suffering a retirement when leading, and then a tough loss after multiple championship points in 2023. He has eight career top-10 wins and notable Grand Slam runs including the 2021 US Open quarter-final.

Hyeon Chung’s career has been hampered by injuries, but he remains a respected competitor, ranked 364th in 2025. The South Korean made a semi-final at the 2018 Australian Open and boasts nine ATP Challenger titles but has not yet reached an ATP Tour final. He peaked at 19th in April 2018.

Davidovich Fokina is unique in being the only player inside the ATP top 32 without a title. The 26-year-old has been runner-up four times — including the 2022 Monte Carlo Masters and three finals in 2025. Several losses involved holding championship points and leads that slipped away. His career-best ranking is 19th, and his top Grand Slam showing was the 2021 French Open quarter-final. He has also defeated Novak Djokovic and other top-10 players multiple times.