‘The Russian Mentality Is Very Direct’ – Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Opens Up on His Upbringing in a Russian Family

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has been a sensation this week at Monte Carlo Masters. After bearing many tennis stars, he reached his first-ever Maters 1000 final. In the final, he played against last year’s Monte Carlo champion, Stefanos Tsitsipas. Unfortunately, the 22-year-old Spaniard lost after giving a tough fight against the Greek player.

Before playing the final, he gave an interview where he talked about the mentality of Spanish tennis players and Russian tennis players. 

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina thinks the Russian mentality is solid and brutal 

In a recent interview with Tennis Majors, Davidovich Fokina spoke with Alize Lim for a series of questions. Particularly, one question about the Russian mentality and Spanish mentality was pretty tough, according to him. 

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“The Russian Mentality is very direct, solid, brutal. The Spanish one is the opposite. I was born in Spain. My parents raised me one way. But clearly, in high school, I was Spanish, and at home I was Russian. So, I was lost. But, at the end, working with my psychologist helped me strengthen what I like in myself and be more myself,” the Spaniard said when asked about Russian and Spanish mentality. 

Notably, Fokina’s parents were both Russian. It seems like he had that Russian brutal mentality within him, as his aggressive tennis won many fans’ hearts. Also, he showed his soft side after giving his towel to a person in a wheelchair after his match against Taylor Fritz. 

Davidovich Fokina’s unbelievable tournament at Monte Carlo

Although the 22-year-old Spaniard lost the final to Stefanos Tsitsipas, he has achieved respect from all around the world. Even his fellow countryman, Rafael Nadal, congratulated him on Instagram for an amazing week in Monte Carlo. 

Fokina has always been a great clay-court player. Last year at Monte Carlo, he shocked Matteo Berrettini to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final. Again, he reached the quarter-final at French Open in the same year. Moreover, he beat Novak Djokovic in the second round to cause a massive upset. Also, he beat well-renowned players, like Grigor Dimitrov, Taylor Fritz, and David Goffin, to reach the final of the Monte Carlo Masters. 

Undoubtedly, he likes the clay-court better than any other surface. It will be interesting to see if he can cause some major upsets at the French Open. 

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Can Fokina go far at the French Open? Let us know in the comments below.