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.

At the WTA 500 Citi DC Open, Leylah Fernandez delivered a commanding performance to capture her fourth career title, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. The 22-year-old Canadian earned 500 ranking points and $197,570, boosting her 2025 prize money to $1,090,781 and her overall career earnings to $6,747,979.

Reflecting on her victory post-match, Fernandez acknowledged the challenges she faced in recent years: “It’s been a long, long couple of years with a lot of ups and downs. Getting this title is great not only for confidence and self-belief, but also for the whole team and family. The past couple of years, we’ve gone through a lot of tough moments. This trophy just indicates how much they have fought.”

Fernandez also discussed the pressure following her breakthrough at the 2021 US Open, noting, “It was mainly my own expectations. I played some great tennis in New York — a lot of my balls were going in. At some point, post-2021, I let my guard down a little bit. To be fair, my coach [and father Jorge] had warned me about it and I was just too naive at the time to believe him.”

Runner-up Kalinskaya earned 325 ranking points and $121,880. The 26-year-old Russian, now 0-3 in WTA finals, has accumulated $942,883 in earnings this year and $5,184,913 across her career.

Elena Rybakina, who lost a thrilling semi-final to Fernandez in three tiebreak sets (7-6(2), 6-7(3), 6-7(3)), secured 195 points and $71,205 for her effort. The 26-year-old Wimbledon champion has earned $1,969,642 in 2025 and over $17.7 million throughout her career.

Other notable participants included World No. 12 Rybakina, alongside top 20 players Jessica Pegula, Emma Navarro, and Clara Tauson. Pegula and Navarro exited in the second round, each earning $19,085 without points after their first-round byes. Tauson, Taylor Townsend, Magdalena Frech, and Maria Sakkari reached the quarter-finals, winning 108 points and $37,530 each.

Summary of points and prize money at the Citi DC Open:
– Champion: 500 points, $197,570
– Runner-up: 325 points, $121,880
– Semi-finals: 195 points, $71,205
– Quarter-finals: 108 points, $37,530
– Round of 16: 60 points (if after first round win), $19,085
– First round: 1 point, $13,585

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.”