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.

Alex de Minaur delivered an extraordinary performance at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, rallying from the brink of defeat to claim the title with a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(3) victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The match was a dramatic showcase of resilience, highlighted by de Minaur saving three championship points in the decisive set.

Down 4-1 and later 5-2 in the final set, de Minaur chipped away at Davidovich Fokina’s lead. When the Spaniard served for the match at 5-3, de Minaur broke back and survived three match points, the last of which came with a lob that narrowly clipped the sideline—just 16 millimeters away from defeat according to ATP data.

Reflecting on the win, de Minaur said, “It’s something about this court. I did it in 2018 against Rublev and honestly, I just kind of knew I could do it. I just backed myself and I told myself to commit no matter what and if I lost this match it was going to be on my terms. Today it went my way. I’ve had a couple of brutal ones not go my way, so I’m glad this one went my way.”

For Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, this marks the second final loss of the season after holding match points. Earlier, he missed two match points against Miomir Kecmanovic in Delray Beach. The 26-year-old remains winless in ATP finals, now with a 0-4 record.

In a show of sportsmanship, de Minaur took time after the match to console Davidovich Fokina, expressing confidence in his future success: “Alejandro, as I told you and your team, you’re way too good to not have one of these. It’s coming for sure. You deserved it today. I just got lucky. You are a hell of a competitor and player. No one on the tour wants to play you. This is not the end. It’s only going up for you.”

Leylah Fernandez captured the most significant title of her career at the Mubadala Citi DC Open by decisively defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final. The 22-year-old Canadian left-hander, ranked 36th, claimed her fourth career singles trophy, marking her first at the WTA 500 level. Known for her hard-court prowess, all of Fernandez’s titles have been won on this surface.

Fernandez demonstrated resilience by saving the only two break points she faced throughout the match, while breaking Kalinskaya’s serve four times in a contest that lasted 1 hour and 10 minutes. One of the decisive factors was Fernandez’s dominance on Kalinskaya’s second serve, winning 10 of 12 points.

Kalinskaya, ranked 48th, had not dropped a set prior to the final but was unable to match Fernandez’s intensity. This victory breaks a title drought for Fernandez since her last win at the Hong Kong Open in October 2023. Entering the tournament with a losing season record and without advancing past two match wins at any event since November, Fernandez staged a remarkable turnaround.

Her route to the final was challenging, highlighted by wins over top-seeded Jessica Pegula, the previous year’s US Open runner-up, and No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion. The semifinal win against Rybakina was a prolonged battle, decided in three tiebreakers over more than three hours.

Kalinskaya, 26, now holds an 0-3 record in tour-level finals, having previously lost to Jasmine Paolini in Dubai and to Pegula in Berlin last year.

The tournament thus cemented Fernandez’s status as an emerging force in women’s tennis, illustrating her capacity to combine solid baseline play with effective net approaches.