2026 has been an incredible year for Spanish tennis star Davidovich Fokina. After losing five ATP Tour Finals from 2022, including four in 2025 alone, the 27-year-old turned the tables with a hat-trick of wins in 2026, the latest in Shanghai, China – his first Masters 1000 title. Before Shanghai, Fokina won the Mallorca Open and Chengdu Open to shut down the critics.
At the Shanghai Masters final, Fokina rallied from a set down to outclass fellow Rafael Jodar to claim his third title of the year, much to the amazement of the fans. Earlier in the tournament, Fokina became the lowest seeded player to reach the quarterfinal this year.
The victory also came with a bit of history. With this win, Fokina became the first Spanish player to win in Shanghai. Earlier, the likes of , , and Roberto Bautista Agut have all lost in the final. It was also the ninth time the Shanghai Masters saw an all-Spanish final.
But all of this for Fokina would not have happened without the support of his wife Paloma Amatiste, who took to Instagram to share an emotional note for her husband. “The biggest dreams are also built during the toughest moments,” Amatiste wrote in Spanish.
“Behind this first Masters 1000 victory lies a great deal of hard work, sacrifices, disappointments and the strength to keep going, even when it’s not easy. When the road takes a turn for the worse, and the results you were hoping for don’t come, you have to come to terms with the frustration, recognise your own limits not as barriers, but as opportunities, and keep believing that your moment will come,” Amatiste added in her post.
At present, Fokina stands at a career-high of 13 in the Rankings. Despite being a hugely talented player, Fokina had to deal with injuries for most of his career and also welcomed an unwanted label. But with three trophies in 2026, Fokina managed to shrug off that unwanted label.
During his tough times, Fokina kept faith in his talent and also thanked the support of his wife, who always stood by him. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me. Words can’t show you all the love I have for you. After so much suffering, so many struggles, it has been worth being where we are, and without you it would have been IMPOSSIBLE,” replied Fokina.
“But we have also had an incredible time on this whole journey. We have enjoyed a lot and laughed a lot; having you by my side has made me open my eyes and enjoy this road more. We love you to infinity,” added Fokina.
Amatiste and Fokina have been in a long-term relationship. Fokina proposed to Amatiste in January 2024 by Rome’s iconic Trevi Fountain. The duo tied the knot in 2025. The wedding ceremony took place at the Sotogrande residential development near Cádiz in southern Spain. By profession, Amatiste is a fashion designer and worked for renowned brands like Zara and Mango, already.
