Tomas Machac claimed his maiden ATP title on Saturday, defeating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(6), 6-2 in the Mexican Open final.
The 24-year-old Czech, seeded eighth, became the third player from his country to win an ATP 500 event, following in the footsteps of Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.
“It feels amazing,” Machac said after lifting the tournament’s signature silver gourd-shaped trophy.
Ranked 25th in the world, Machac showcased his dominance on serve, hitting seven aces in a fiercely contested opening set where neither player secured a break.
Davidovich Fokina had a set point at 6-5 in the tiebreak, but Machac responded with three consecutive points to clinch the set.
With momentum on his side, Machac raised his level in the second set, securing the first break of the match to lead 3-2.
From there, he overwhelmed his Spanish opponent, winning the final four games to seal the biggest victory of his career.
Machac, who reached his first ATP final last year in Geneva after defeating Novak Djokovic, celebrated by falling to the court as Davidovich Fokina’s final shot found the net.
In a gracious post-match speech, Davidovich Fokina, now 0-3 in ATP finals, congratulated his opponent.
“I don’t know how you feel right now—I’ve never won a title—but for sure, it feels amazing,” he said.
Machac credited his coach, Daniel Vacek, for helping him stay composed under pressure.
“I told him two weeks ago that I struggle with big matches and don’t know how to manage these situations. But then I won… I guess I’ll try to talk to him more often,” he said with a smile.
