The Rolex Paris Masters saw another intense chapter unfold on Wednesday when emotions boiled over during a second-round clash on Court 1. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina found himself at the center of a firestorm after his straight-sets victory over local wildcard Arthur Cazaux.
Still, his post-match celebration and the crowd’s furious reaction stole the headlines at La Defense Arena.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Powers Past Arthur Cazaux in a Tense Encounter
The Spanish 15th seed, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, delivered a composed performance to defeat Arthur Cazaux 7-6(5), 6-4 in front of a partisan French crowd that passionately supported their countryman. Cazaux, ranked World No. 62 and entered the main draw as a wildcard, had started his tournament with an impressive win over Italian Luciano Darderi, 7-6(5), 7-6(4).
The Frenchman carried that momentum into Wednesday’s match, pushing Davidovich Fokina to a tense first-set tiebreak. Both players battled for control with powerful groundstrokes from the baseline. Although Cazaux created several opportunities, the Spanish veteran’s experience proved decisive. He captured the opening set tiebreak 7-5 before securing a break in the second set to close the match.
Following his victory, Davidovich Fokina performed the now-famous “night night” celebration. He placed his hands together near his cheek in a gesture popularized by NBA star Stephen Curry to signal putting an opponent to sleep. The French crowd erupted immediately, showering the court with loud boos. They were unhappy with the Spaniard celebrating so boldly after defeating a hometown player.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina being booed by the French crowd after doing the Night Night celebration following his win over a Frenchman in Paris.
He waves at them to egg on the boos even more
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— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 29, 2025
Instead of backing down, Davidovich Fokina appeared to embrace the hostile reception. He waved at the crowd, seemingly encouraging even more boos, which only intensified the atmosphere inside the arena as the match concluded.
How Does This Win Impact Davidovich Fokina’s Tournament Run?
Davidovich Fokina entered the Paris Masters riding a wave of momentum after reaching his career-high ranking of world No. 15 on Oct. 27, 2025, just two days before his match against Cazaux. The 26-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season despite still searching for his first ATP Tour title. He reached four finals this year, including a recent runner-up finish in Basel against Brazilian star Joao Fonseca.
His journey in Paris began against French lucky loser Valentin Royer in the round of 64, where he recovered from dropping the opening set to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. Royer had entered the draw after last year’s finalist, Ugo Humbert, withdrew from the tournament with a back injury sustained during his semifinal match against Davidovich Fokina the previous week.
With Wednesday’s victory, Davidovich Fokina has defeated two consecutive French opponents on home soil. This win sets up a challenging round of 16 match against the third seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev. Zverev advanced after battling past Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-7(5), 6-1, 7-5 in a grueling contest over two and a half hours.
While Zverev holds a commanding 5-1 advantage in their head-to-head series, Davidovich Fokina’s only victory came during the 2023 Toronto Masters.
