SHANGHAI — Alejandro Davidovich Fokina advanced to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals after Arthur Gea retired at 4-1 down in their quarter-final, a contest that lasted just 22 minutes. The Spaniard had made a fast start before the Frenchman, contesting his maiden Masters 1000 quarter-final, took a medical timeout for a right quad/hip issue and was forced to abandon the match after five games.
Davidovich Fokina said he felt sympathy for the world No 56 while also taking satisfaction from his own form after two demanding matches earlier in the week. “Yeah, I would say I feel sorry for him, for Arthur [Gea]. I was playing good; I wanted to play a good match against him, to see where I am,” said Davidovich Fokina in his press conference. “And yeah, of course it’s pleasing, no, to have this kind of match here, because I had two matches that were very tough ones. So, yeah, I’m very happy to be in another semi-final, to enjoy this moment, and for everyone around my team. Now I’m going to take my day off today to enjoy myself.”
The 27-year-old was asked when he first noticed Gea struggling and said he initially thought little of the physio call. “Well, I didn’t see anything. He asked for the physio, and I don’t remember now, in the 3-2 or 3-1; I don’t remember. I saw that he asked for the physio, so I knew something was wrong, but you never know what is happening. I called the physio two times this week, but it was something for cold cream, maybe he was asking for that or whatever,” he said. “But in the first game, or in the first shot that he did after the physio, something like he put aggressive forehand to the net, and I said, ‘Something is wrong; make him play and let’s see how he is running, and we will see if it’s something serious or not’. And, yeah, at the end I feel sorry for him, but I’m happy to be in the next round.”
The result puts Davidovich Fokina into his first Shanghai Masters semi-final, where he will face either Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur on Saturday, 17 October. He is 1-6 against Zverev and 2-4 against De Minaur and will arrive as the underdog in either match-up. Victory would send him to his second Masters 1000 final, where Rafael Jodar, Casper Ruud, Daniil Medvedev or Tommy Paul await on the opposite side of the draw.