On Sunday, July 27, 2025, Spanish tennis player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina secured one of his strongest victories of the season by defeating American Ben Shelton 6–2, 7–5 in the semifinals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, held in Washington, D.C. Despite hitting only 10 winners throughout the entire match, Davidovich Fokina displayed remarkable tactical intelligence, capitalizing on his opponent’s 35 unforced errors—including seven double faults—which proved decisive during key moments.
From the very beginning, the Spaniard maintained control from the baseline, avoiding unnecessary risks and forcing Shelton to make mistakes as he attempted to dictate the pace with his powerful serve and forehand. The first set was nearly one-sided, with Davidovich breaking Shelton’s serve twice and showing consistent dominance in the rallies. In the second set, Shelton showed signs of recovery, managing to hold his ground for most of the set.
However, his inconsistency returned in the crucial closing games, allowing the Spaniard to close out the match in straight sets. With this win, Davidovich Fokina reaches his third final of the season and will face Australian Alex de Minaur, who previously defeated Corentin Moutet in the other semifinal.
During the post-match press conference, the Spaniard expressed satisfaction with his performance and thanked the crowd for their support. He emphasized that his strategy was to stay solid and avoid engaging in the power battle that Shelton typically imposes on his opponents. This performance further cements the good form of the Malaga native and establishes him as a strong contender for the title in Washington—a key tournament in the lead-up to the US Open.
