(Video) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Confronts ‘Ignorant Drunks’ in Crowd During Australian Open Battle Against Reilly Opelka

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina registered his career's second win over Reilly Opelka.

(Video) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Confronts ‘Ignorant Drunks’ in Crowd During Australian Open Battle Against Reilly Opelka

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (L) beat Reilly Opelka (R) in the Australian Open second round (Image via X/AllAboutHQ, Tennis Channel, TNT Sports)

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Alejandro Davidovich Fokina made sure to give it back to a group in the crowd for disturbing him during his second-round match at the Australian Open on Wednesday (January 21). Fokina locked horns with Reilly Opelka, who, after saving himself from the brink of elimination, eventually suffered a 6-3, 7-6(3), 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 defeat.

The incident involving the spectators occurred during the fourth set. Fokina walked toward the fans to argue and complained to the chair umpire that he was given a hand gesture by that spectator. The umpire then sent a warning to the fan.

No. I think today was a very good match. The crowd wanted to see fifth set… Can happen here, can happen anywhere in the world… So, there were four ignorant drunks that I cannot do nothing, nothing.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina said at the press conference

Fokina has now improved his head-to-head record over Opelka to 2-0. Prior to the Australian Open clash, they met in the fourth round of the 2024 Atlanta Open.

Opelka has yet to make the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event, reaching just one fourth round (at the 2021 US Open). Last year, he lost three times in the second round of Majors and suffered a first-round exit in his home Slam, the US Open.

Before the American ace, Fokina knocked out Filip Misolic. Fokina, a one-time Grand Slam quarterfinalist, has never made the last eight in Melbourne, with his best performance being a fourth-round appearance last year. The lone quarterfinal he played was at the 2021 French Open, losing to three-time Grand Slam finalist Alexander Zverev.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will next face Tommy Paul

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina‘s third-round opponent is Tommy Paul, the 19th seed, who secured his first two matches in straight sets against Aleksandar Kovacevic and Thiago Agustin Tirante. The upcoming match will be Fokina’s fifth clash with the World No.20.

Tommy Paul
Tommy Paul (Image via X/ATP Tour)

In their previous four meetings, the matches ended in Paul’s favor, with their last clash being the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open. At the press conference after his win over Opelka, Fokina was asked what it is like to play someone who plays a similar game as he does.

Well, it’s going to be a battle. We play two times here. First time, in five sets, he beat me, and last year, I was dead last year. I will not count that one. But every time that I practice or play against him, he always puts a lot of pressure, even when he’s serving and returning. So we can have similar game, but maybe I’m a little more aggressive than him. But what I saw this week, and last week in Adelaide, he was playing very good from the baseline, and yeah.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina said

Before the Australian Open, both Fokina and Paul featured in the Brisbane International and the Adelaide International, with both losing their respective opening round matches in the former tournament. In Adelaide, Paul suffered defeat in the semifinals against Tomas Machac, while Fokina lost to Ugo Humbert in the third round.

Paul is a one-time Grand Slam semifinalist, reaching the last four at the 2023 Australian Open. Last year at Melbourne Park, eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev knocked him out in the quarterfinals.

Paul has yet to win a title since lifting his career’s fourth trophy at the 2024 Stockholm Open by defeating Grigor Dimitrov. Fokina, however, has so far featured in five ATP Finals and is still waiting for his first victory. Last year, he made the finals of the Mexican Open, Citi Open, and the Swiss Indoors, losing them to Machac, Alex de Minaur, and Joao Fonseca, respectively.

Also read: (Video) Coco Gauff and Chris Eubanks Share Hilarious Off-Court Moment at the Australian Open