Alejandro Davidovich Fokina refused to blame a failed underarm serve for his heartbreaking loss to Holger Rune. In the fifth-set tie-break of their Wimbledon third-round match, Davidovich Fokina and Rune were tied to eight points apiece.
Then out of nowhere, Davidovich Fokina pulled an underarm serve, which Rune easily returned for a forehand winner and a 9-8 lead. Rune then also won the following point to complete a 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 7-6 (8) win over Davidovich Fokina.
After the match, Davidovich Fokina was asked whether if he would do the same again. “Why not?” Davidovich Fokina said.
Davidovich Fokina on a failed underarm serve: No regrets
“I won’t regret anything.
I’m happy for this match that I did because I was struggling on grass and how I played today I convinced myself that I have a lot of things in myself," Davidovich Fokina reflected. Davidovich Fokina had multiple chances to seal a win over Rune.
In the 10th game of the fifth set, Davidovich Fokina missed out on two consecutive match points on Rune's serve. Later, Davidovich Fokina also had an 8-5 lead in the fifth-set tie-break. But from that moment, Davidovich Fokina didn't win a single point in the remainder of the match as Rune won five points in a row to overturn the deficit and complete a five-set win.
After the match, even Rune admitted he didn't expect Davidovich Fokina to pull an underarm serve in such a moment. “I was not expecting for sure that that was going to come. Actually it was nice because he was serving unbelievable so I was like, ‘OK’, it was a chance to get a match point.
I had to be fast with the feet. Wow, what a match," Rune said. Davidovich Fokina and Rune have now played against each other twice and both meetings were absolute thrillers. In May, Davidovich Fokina edged out Rune 7-6 (1) 5-7 7-6 (5) at the Madrid Masters.