AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2025

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

Press Conference

A. DAVIDOVICH FOKINA/J. Mensik

3-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on qualifying to the fourth round. How do you reflect on today's match?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, I'm very happy at the end, two matches in a row coming back to two sets down. Then the feeling that I never give up and fight in every point, every game, it's like it give me a lot of confidence and a lot of strength to continue for the next round.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you talk about today when you were down two sets? How much did you think back to your comeback against Felix and think, I've done it once before, I can do it again now?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Yeah, really I was not thinking about the Felix match. The first two sets were with the sun and the balls were like more alive, it was with more speed and everything. It was faster, the court.

When the sun was going down there were, like, shadows and everything. The balls were more slower, more slow then.

I have my confidence that if it gets more slow, I have more chances to win him because he was serving very good, and there were not a lot of rallies, that he was getting tired.

I knew that in the third set if I was there every point, I had my chances to close it in 5-4. He had his chances to close it in 6-5, but at the end, being there every point, it gets me, like, a lot of energy to continue doing this.

Q. Have you always considered yourself a big fighter, someone who never gives in?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: Well, in all these years I had a lot of up-and-downs. I had decided this year to fight every point. It doesn't matter how is the result. Don't look at the result.

You know, I think to be quiet with myself and just focus, to play, enjoy the match, I think that give me a lot of strength and power to still continuing, like, playing. Doesn't matter what.

Q. Thinking back to the Felix match, I was actually out there, and it was cold and it was windy. It was pretty miserable conditions. When you were down two sets, did you think, I don't want to be here? What inspired you to dig so deep and win that match?

ALEJANDRO DAVIDOVICH FOKINA: What I said before. I had a lot of issues last year. I didn't have the chance to be mentally like I am now. We did a very good preseason.

I think all the work that all the team put on the five weeks of preseason, I think it gave me a lot of energy. Doesn't matter what is happening on court.

I knew that with Felix I had, like, trouble. I always had 7-6, 7-6, 6-7. Here, two years ago, I think we had a great battle. I always have my chances against him.

I knew that I would have my chances. I was still continuing fighting him because at the end we were practicing together in Monte-Carlo in this preseason, and I knew that if I was constantly working and put him pressure, at the end he would not finish me.

In the fourth set I was more like in my high level. And at the end, to finish the match in the fifth set, a little bit tired both, but I was, like, more fresh I think. I was happy to end it like that.