Novak Djokovic 'has everything of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal' but Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has 'key' to victory

ByEurosport

Published 16/08/2023 at 11:29 GMT

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will face Novak Djokovic in the second round of the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday evening. The pair have met four times before on the ATP Tour with Djokovic winning three of those clashes. However, Davidovich Fokina is taking great confidence from his win over the 23-time Grand Slam winner in Monte-Carlo last year, and he believes he knows the secret to beating Djokovic.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina believes he knows what is required to beat Novak Djokovic.

The pair will meet for the fifth time at the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday evening with Djokovic leading the head-to-head 3-1.

Djokovic was victorious in their most recent meeting at Roland-Garros earlier this year with the Serb winning 7-6(4) 7-6(5) 6-2.

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But in their meeting in Monte Carlo last year, the Spaniard beat the world No. 2 6-3 5-7(5) 6-1 in the round of 32.

Davidovich Fokina says it would be "a dream" to beat Djokovic in Ohio.

He told the ATP's official website: "I wanted to one day play against him and obviously, if I can beat him, for me it would have been a dream. I think it is the same now.

"If I can win this match [on Wednesday], for me it’s a dream because in the end you don’t win against these guys every day."

He added: "I know that it’s going to be Djokovic next and it’s going to be a very, very tough match. But I think I’m prepared now to face him and to try to beat him."

Davidovich Fokina is wary of the challenge Djokovic will pose and says the 23-time Grand Slam champion has the best qualities of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in his game.

"He has everything of Rafa [Nadal] and [Roger] Federer," he said.

"His body is so elastic and he can be very, very solid and he has the weapons to push you to make errors. Then he has winners. He’s very good serving.

"But the key of his is that he sees the match very good. The moment of the match, he knows how to [judge what he needs to do] very good."

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Davidovich Fokina says he knows how to break down Djokovic's game following their match in Monte Carlo.

"I remember that I was dominating him very good. And in the middle of the second set, he broke me back. When he won the second set, he was on fire," he said.

Novak Djokovic (L) and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (R)

Image credit: Getty Images

"But I just was [focused] on being on court, to play against him and to be focused on every ball. I think that the key to win was to be focused in every point.

"It doesn’t matter the result, you forget about the result. You have to play against him because at the end, he’s a legend. And you don’t play every day with these types of guys."

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