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.

Lukas Klein has firmly established himself as a leading competitor on the ATP Challenger Tour with remarkable back-to-back tournament wins. The 27-year-old Slovak secured his second Challenger title in as many weeks by winning the Dialectic Zug Open in Switzerland, following his recent success at the San Marino Open.

In a hard-fought final, Klein defeated fourth-seeded Harold Mayot in three sets, 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4. Throughout the event, Klein, ranked 147th globally, dispatched notable opponents including sixth seed Santiago Rodriguez Taverna, Swiss wild card Henry Bernet, second seed Marc-Andrea Huesler, and qualifier Jakub Paul. His powerful serve, highlighted by 11 aces, was pivotal in capturing the title after 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Reflecting on his achievement during the on-court ceremony, Klein said, “I am very happy with this week and the week before. I have never won back-to-back Challenger titles. I am very excited. I enjoyed the week here, although it wasn’t easy for the fans when we had some rain delays. Everything worked 100 per cent. Thanks to everyone involved in the tournament.”

This latest victory is Klein’s fifth ATP Challenger title, awarding him €25,740 and 125 ATP Ranking points, moving him closer to the world top 100.

Elsewhere on the tour, Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer claimed the Tampere Open title after a three-set victory against Sascha Gueymard Wayenburg. British player George Loffhagen won his first Challenger title at the Open Castilla y León Villa de El Espinar in Spain, and Estonian Marek Lajal earned his second Challenger crown at the Cranbrook Tennis Classic in Michigan.

The ATP Challenger Tour continues this week with events across Europe and North America, featuring promising talents including Jaime Faria, Marc-Andrea Huesler, Martin Landaluce, Daniel Mérida, Botic van de Zandschulp, and Nishesh Basavareddy among contenders.