Alejandro Davidovich entered the Roland Garros round of 16 this Friday for the first time in his career with a memorable performance, in a great match against Casper Ruud that was resolved in the twelfth game of the fifth set and that had two tie-breaks: 7-6 (3), 2-6, 7-6 (6), 0-6 and 7-5 at 4:45.
In that last stake of the meeting, the Malaga, who this Saturday will be 22 years happier than a partridge, did real mischief, including an underhand serve with which he won a point and a parallel jump backhand close to the net that he executed with inhuman fury. The crowd on track 14 had a great time with the spectacularity of the Spanish and the defenses of the Norwegian, 16th in the world and one of the best of the season on gravel (17-5), only behind Delbonis (19-9 ) and Tsitsipas (18-3). Davidovich played with his soul, which is why his coach, Jorge Aguirre, a sort of second father, wept in the stands when Ruud sent the last remainder of the duel away on match point five. He didn’t believe it, but it had happened. His pupil will face the aforementioned Delbonis on Sunday, since the Argentine got off almost without disheveled the Italian Fognini (6-4, 6-1 and 6-3 in 2:06).
🇪🇸🙌 Davidovich kneels on the clay of Paris and we before him
THE MATCH he just won against Casper Ruud O
7⃣-6⃣, 2⃣-6⃣, 7⃣-6⃣, 0⃣-6⃣ and 7⃣-5⃣
To eighth for the first time #Roland Garros https://t.co/GcZ5432Sen pic.twitter.com/ELn512KHmG
– Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) June 4, 2021
Davidovich has been in the upline for quite some time, especially since he played the round of 16 at the US Open last year. He did not participate in the Australian Open because he contracted COVID. Then he made the fourth in Monte Carlo (where he beat Berrettini), the semifinals in Estoril and the eighth in Rome, results that allowed him to climb positions in the ranking, to 45th place, the best of his career, although he is virtually already 38.
“Foki, Foki, Foki …”
He will not forget this match against Ruud, a student at the Rafa Nadal Academy, who had no choice but to surrender to Davidovich’s display of passion, who was able to overcome a bad fourth set, in which he preferred to fit a donut and save energy to go to death in the fifth. It is clear that the psychological work that has been going on for years works. He finished with 59 winners, just like his opponent, in a match that in that sense was a carnage. The audience chanted the beginning of his second surname: “Foki, Foki, Foki …”. He earned them for delivery and spectacularity. Here in Paris, he is already an idol.
Results, table and calendar.