Australia's Alex De Minaur saved three match points on his way to a battling 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to clinch the ATP Tour DC Open crown on Sunday.&nbsp;Seventh seed De Minaur looked to be heading for defeat against his 12th-seeded Spanish opponent after trailing 5-2 in the deciding set in Washington.&nbsp;But Davidovich Fokina -- chasing the first ATP title of his career after losing in three previous final appearances -- failed to capitalise on his hefty lead.&nbsp;The Spaniard appeared to tighten when serving for the match at 5-3 up to allow De Minaur to claw it back to 5-4.&nbsp;But Davidovich Fokina responded to that missed opportunity by then earning three match points on De Minaur's serve in the next game.&nbsp;Yet once again, the Spaniard was unable to take advantage and De Minaur survived to hold serve and level the match at 5-5.&nbsp;The next two games went on serve to set up the tie break and De Minaur was quickly in control, sealing victory on the first of three match points with an ace, to settle a 3hr 2mins slugfest.&nbsp;De Minaur said he had never doubted his ability to turn around the final.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-watch-stokes-refuses-to-shake-jadeja-s-hand-as-tempers-flare-after-manchester-test-ends-in-stalemate-1753672370669">Watch: Stokes refuses to shake Jadeja's hand as tempers flare after Manchester Test ends in stalemate</a>&nbsp;"I just kind of knew I could do it," De Minaur said in his on-court interview. "I just backed myself to commit no matter what, and if I lost this match, it was going to be on my terms.&nbsp;"I've had a couple of brutal ones not go go my way, so I'm glad this one went my way," the 26-year-old from New South Wales said.&nbsp;The win was another agonizing setback for Davidovich Fokina, who had already reached -- and lost -- two other finals this season.&nbsp;The defeat echoed his loss in the final at Delray Beach in February, when he was unable to convert two match points before losing to Miomir Kecmanovic.&nbsp;"Congratulations to Alex, he deserved the win," Davidovich Fokina said. "He was fighting for every ball. He always pushed me to my limits."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Seventh seed Alex De Minaur looked to be heading for defeat against his 12th-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after trailing 5-2 in the deciding set in Washington.

Australia's Alex De Minaur saved three match points on his way to a battling 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to clinch the ATP Tour DC Open crown on Sunday. Seventh seed De Minaur looked to be heading for defeat against his 12th-seeded Spanish opponent after trailing 5-2 in the deciding set in Washington. But Davidovich Fokina -- chasing the first ATP title of his career after losing in three previous final appearances -- failed to capitalise on his hefty lead. The Spaniard appeared to tighten when serving for the match at 5-3 up to allow De Minaur to claw it back to 5-4. But Davidovich Fokina responded to that missed opportunity by then earning three match points on De Minaur's serve in the next game. Yet once again, the Spaniard was unable to take advantage and De Minaur survived to hold serve and level the match at 5-5. The next two games went on serve to set up the tie break and De Minaur was quickly in control, sealing victory on the first of three match points with an ace, to settle a 3hr 2mins slugfest. De Minaur said he had never doubted his ability to turn around the final. ALSO READ | Watch: Stokes refuses to shake Jadeja's hand as tempers flare after Manchester Test ends in stalemate "I just kind of knew I could do it," De Minaur said in his on-court interview. "I just backed myself to commit no matter what, and if I lost this match, it was going to be on my terms. "I've had a couple of brutal ones not go go my way, so I'm glad this one went my way," the 26-year-old from New South Wales said. The win was another agonizing setback for Davidovich Fokina, who had already reached -- and lost -- two other finals this season. The defeat echoed his loss in the final at Delray Beach in February, when he was unable to convert two match points before losing to Miomir Kecmanovic. "Congratulations to Alex, he deserved the win," Davidovich Fokina said. "He was fighting for every ball. He always pushed me to my limits." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Seventh seed Alex De Minaur looked to be heading for defeat against his 12th-seeded Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after trailing 5-2 in the deciding set in Washington.

Australia's Alex De Minaur saves three match points to clinch DC Open crown

US top seed Taylor Fritz dropped an early Saturday morning marathon to Spain's Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina while Britain's Emma Raducanu and Canada's Leylah Fernandez reached the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA DC Open. World number four Fritz, two points from victory in the ninth game, dropped the last five games in falling to the 26th-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-5 after three hours and five minutes in a match ending just before 2:00 am. Davidovich-Fokina advanced to a Saturday semi-final against US fourth seed Ben Shelton, who beat sixth-seeded hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/2), 6-4.&nbsp;Fritz, who had 20 aces and six double faults, served for the match in the ninth and was up 30-0 but lost, then failed to take advantage of three double faults by Davidovich-Fokina in the 10th game.&nbsp;The other men's semi-final will send French lucky loser Corentin Moutet against Australian seventh seed Alex De Minaur, who eliminated American Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4.&nbsp;Moutet withstood leg cramps to eliminate eighth seed Daniil Medvedev 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.&nbsp;"I tried to survive every point because it was hard physically," Moutet said after fighting off leg cramps. "I'm just proud of myself."&nbsp;Raducanu reached the brink of her first WTA final since winning the 2021 US Open, ousting Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5.&nbsp;And Fernandez, whom Raducanu beat in that Flushing Meadows championship match, reached the other semi-final by dispatching American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).&nbsp;Raducanu, who missed most of 2023 after hand and ankle surgery and part of last year with a left foot injury, reached her first WTA semi-final since last year at Nottingham by dispatching Sakkari in sweltering conditions of 95F (35C).&nbsp;"It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I've ever played in," Raducanu said. "Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly I'm just happy I could close it out and it was two sets.&nbsp;"I think the humidity here, as well, it just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there. That's how it feels."&nbsp;Left-hander Fernandez overcame leg cramps in the second set in advancing to face third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who beat Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-3.&nbsp;Raducanu will next face Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Danish fourth seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 7-5.&nbsp;Raducanu, Britain's first women's Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at Wimbledon, beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round before downing Sakkari after a medical timeout in the second set.&nbsp;"Brutal conditions. Right in the peak heat of the day. It was incredibly difficult," Raducanu said. "I had to call a doctor on. Wasn't feeling too good in the second set.&nbsp;"When it's at that stage you know you're going to suffer and you have to just go until you physically can't anymore. It could be a little dangerous but you just leave it all out there on the court as an athlete."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Fritz, who had 20 aces and six double faults, served for the match in the ninth and was up 30-0 but lost, then failed to take advantage of three double faults by Davidovich-Fokina in the 10th game.

US top seed Taylor Fritz dropped an early Saturday morning marathon to Spain's Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina while Britain's Emma Raducanu and Canada's Leylah Fernandez reached the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA DC Open. World number four Fritz, two points from victory in the ninth game, dropped the last five games in falling to the 26th-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-5 after three hours and five minutes in a match ending just before 2:00 am. Davidovich-Fokina advanced to a Saturday semi-final against US fourth seed Ben Shelton, who beat sixth-seeded hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Fritz, who had 20 aces and six double faults, served for the match in the ninth and was up 30-0 but lost, then failed to take advantage of three double faults by Davidovich-Fokina in the 10th game. The other men's semi-final will send French lucky loser Corentin Moutet against Australian seventh seed Alex De Minaur, who eliminated American Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4. Moutet withstood leg cramps to eliminate eighth seed Daniil Medvedev 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. "I tried to survive every point because it was hard physically," Moutet said after fighting off leg cramps. "I'm just proud of myself." Raducanu reached the brink of her first WTA final since winning the 2021 US Open, ousting Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5. And Fernandez, whom Raducanu beat in that Flushing Meadows championship match, reached the other semi-final by dispatching American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Raducanu, who missed most of 2023 after hand and ankle surgery and part of last year with a left foot injury, reached her first WTA semi-final since last year at Nottingham by dispatching Sakkari in sweltering conditions of 95F (35C). "It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I've ever played in," Raducanu said. "Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly I'm just happy I could close it out and it was two sets. "I think the humidity here, as well, it just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there. That's how it feels." Left-hander Fernandez overcame leg cramps in the second set in advancing to face third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who beat Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-3. Raducanu will next face Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Danish fourth seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 7-5. Raducanu, Britain's first women's Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at Wimbledon, beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round before downing Sakkari after a medical timeout in the second set. "Brutal conditions. Right in the peak heat of the day. It was incredibly difficult," Raducanu said. "I had to call a doctor on. Wasn't feeling too good in the second set. "When it's at that stage you know you're going to suffer and you have to just go until you physically can't anymore. It could be a little dangerous but you just leave it all out there on the court as an athlete." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Fritz, who had 20 aces and six double faults, served for the match in the ninth and was up 30-0 but lost, then failed to take advantage of three double faults by Davidovich-Fokina in the 10th game.

DC Open 2025: Top seed Fritz falls as Raducanu and Fernandez win

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Australia's Alex De Minaur saves three match points to clinch DC Open crown

DC Open 2025: Top seed Fritz falls as Raducanu and Fernandez win