Spanish tennis player Alejandro Davidovich fought back to defeat Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the opening semifinal at the Chengdu Open in China, securing his spot in the final. Playing on hard courts at the ATP 250 tournament, Davidovich completed the comeback after dropping the opening set, overcoming both his opponent and a lingering return from months on the sidelines due to back injuries.
Semifinal Turning Points and Physical Struggles
Basilashvili, ranked No. 121 in the world, opened the match aggressively and capitalized on early service struggles from the Spaniard. The Georgian broke Davidovich in the opening game and maintained dominant service games to close out the first set 4-6. In the second set, Davidovich stabilized his service games, broke back to level the momentum, and claimed the frame 6-4 with a late break.
Before the third and deciding set, Basilashvili requested a medical timeout to receive treatment for discomfort in the back of his hip and right leg. The physical limitations severely hindered the Georgian player, allowing Davidovich to break immediately in the final set’s opening service game and race to a 3-0 lead. Despite a late push where Davidovich saved two break points while serving at 5-2, the Spanish player closed out the match on his subsequent service turn.
Player Reflections on the Match
Reflecting on the contest after his victory, Davidovich admitted to feeling the pressure early on. “I started a little bit more nervous,” he said, noting that his opponent “started very aggressive, obviously I expected it.” He added that the match proved intensely physical with minimal extended rallies. “It has been a pretty intense match. I knew that today was not going to be much of a rally, it was going to be more three or four shots. Always with the spirit to fight and try to have the next opportunity.”
Path to the Chengdu Final and Next Opponent
Davidovich advanced to the semifinals by defeating France’s Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-5 in the quarterfinals. His victory over Basilashvili puts him in position to seek his second ATP title of 2026 and of his career, following his title run in Mallorca last June. He will face Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in the championship match. Hurkacz earned his spot in the final by defeating Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the tournament’s second semifinal.
Looking ahead to the title match, Davidovich noted his familiarity with the Polish player. “With Hurkacz we have trained several days in Monaco before coming here, obviously we know each other more,” Davidovich said regarding the upcoming final.
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