Alejandro Davidovich Fokina battled past 6’11” Reilly Opelka in a gripping five-set epic at the Australian Open. The Spaniard, beaten by Tommy Paul in the fourth round last year, will meet the American again with revenge in sight. Yet the drama peaked earlier, when his clash with Opelka briefly boiled over, forcing the chair umpire to step in after Fokina confronted an American fan.

The near four-hour battle was filled with tension. Davidovich Fokina was broken early in the fourth set. During the rally, he slipped and fell. Sections of the American crowd cheered the moment, which immediately angered the Spaniard.

Visibly upset, Davidovich Fokina walked toward the stands to confront the fans. The situation escalated quickly. The chair umpire was forced to leave his seat to calm things down and stop the exchange from going further.

The frustration had already been building earlier in the match. During the third set, after another fall, he shouted toward the crowd, “What are you saying about the USA, you f****ing idiot” (Translated from Spanish). The outburst reflected how emotionally charged the atmosphere had become.

Speaking later in his post-match press conference, Davidovich Fokina explained his reaction. “I twisted my ankle and he won the point. And I think it’s not fair for me they cheered that point because maybe I could get twisted worst,” Davidovich Fokina added. “But, no, it was a low twist. I didn’t have anything. I didn’t have any pain. But at the end it was not fair that they were cheering at that point because it was a free point for him.”

Even last year at the Australian Open, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was involved in a crowd-related incident. 

His second-round clash against Felix Auger-Aliassime was disrupted early. Loud chanting from nearby courts repeatedly interrupted play. The noise made it difficult for both players to continue.

After 42 minutes, officials stepped in. The umpire announced that the match would be moved. Play was stopped on court 8 and relocated to court 7 to restore order.

The disruption came from court 6. That court is often called the “party court.” It sits next to bar areas, including a two-storey bar overlooking the action. The atmosphere there is known to be loud and chaotic.

On court 6, Frenchman Arthur Cazaux was playing Scot Jacob Fearnley. Fans from France and Britain created a charged environment. The noise felt more like a Davis Cup tie than a Grand Slam match.

Because of the constant interruptions, officials made the decision to act. The umpire and supervisors on court 8 agreed the match could not continue there. Both players were consulted before the final call.

Davidovich Fokina and Auger-Aliassime met at the net. They discussed the situation calmly. Shortly after, the umpire addressed the crowd.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the match is now suspended on this court. We move to court 7 in just a few minutes.” The announcement drew mixed reactions from fans.

Play resumed quickly after the move. Davidovich Fokina returned to serve at 3-4 in a tiebreak. 

For those surprised by recent events, this was not an isolated case. The Spaniard was also involved in a similar crowd-related incident at last year’s Paris Masters.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina taunts fans with Steph Curry–style celebration

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina found himself in another tense exchange with fans last year during his R32 match at the Paris Masters. He faced French wildcard Arthur Cazaux. The atmosphere was hostile from the start.

The Spaniard defeated Cazaux in straight sets. The Paris crowd was firmly behind the local favourite. As expected, the support for Cazaux appeared to frustrate the Spaniard throughout the match.

After sealing the win, Davidovich Fokina let his emotions show. He responded to the crowd with a pointed celebration. He mimicked NBA superstar Steph Curry’s famous “Nighty Night” gesture.

The move only inflamed the situation. French fans reacted loudly. Boos echoed around the stadium as the Spaniard acknowledged the noise.

Cazaux later addressed the moment in his post-match press conference. He reflected calmly on his opponent’s actions. The Frenchman suggested the celebration may have consequences.

“He made his little celebration at the end. Everybody reacts their own way. It’s never easy to have the public against you. That’s the way he reacted. I don’t know whether I would have reacted in the same way, but all I can do is shut up, because he played his match. He was better than I was. All I can say is bravo.”

Cazaux then hinted at what may come next for his opponent. “It won’t be my fault if there is not very many French people behind him in the next rounds,” he said.

Now through to the third round, Davidovich Fokina faces another challenge. He is set to meet Tommy Paul. The Spaniard trails the American 4–0 in their H2H record.

The question now is simple. Can Davidovich Fokina finally turn the tide and claim revenge against another American opponent?