A cheeky Nick Kyrgios-esque underarm serve at the death has backfired spectacularly for Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his third round match against Holger Rune at Wimbledon.
In a fifth set tie-breaker and at eight points apiece, the Spaniard opted for the alternative serve which dropped in the middle of the court.
As Davidovich Fokina advanced, Rune immediately smashed a forearm across the court in response and snagged the point.
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The Wimbledon crowd erupted having just witnessed Rune save two match points and come from 5-8 down to make it 9-8 in the final set.
Moments later, Rune served and sealed the match winner when Davidovich Fokina whacked the ball back into the net.
“I mean, I’ve seen some decisions in my life, but I have never seen something like that,” said the commentator.
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“An underarm serve at eight-all. We talk about Davidovich Fokina being an elder statesman, more experienced, more mature, I cannot believe that decision.”
All told, it was Rune who won 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8).
Speaking after the match, Davidovich Fokina offered a brief summary.
“We have to accept what happened,” he said.
“I shit myself and I did not want to play that point.”
Rune, who is still just 20 years old, said he was surprised by Davidovich Fokina’s decision to go with the underarm serve.
“I was not expecting for sure that that was going to come,” Rune said.
“Actually it was nice, because he was serving unbelievable. So I was like, ‘OK, it’s a chance to get a match point.’
“Again, I was not expecting it, so I had to be fast on the feet. But wow, what a match!
“It was unbelievable,” he said of the match.
“It’s one of the most fun matches I’ve ever played and it’s quite a small court but you guys made it absolutely amazing, so thank you.”
Rune will face either 10th seed Frances Tiafoe or 21st seed Grigor Dimitrov, pending the outcome of that match.
Dimitrov led Tiafoe 6-2, 6-2, 2-1 before that match was suspended.
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