"Most earth trembling brain farts ever seen" - Tennis world reacts to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina's underarm serve in Wimbledon loss to Holger Rune

Many in the tennis world, including Rennae Stubbs and Pam Shriver, were left astounded by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s blunder during a big moment in his match against Holger Rune at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships.

Rune took on Davidovich Fokina in the third round of Wimbledon on Saturday. The pair was locked in a high-intensity five-set battle, which eventually concluded in Rune’s favor 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (8).

The 20-year-old's chances of pulling through were looking grim just a few minutes prior to the conclusion. Rune served to stay in the match in the 10th game of the fifth set, where he found himself down two match points.

The Dane, however, scored a few crucial points to eventually close out the game. He then proceeded to force a deciding tie-break after the 12th game.

Holger Rune trailed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for most of the tie-break. The Spaniard led 6-2 at one point, with two mini-breaks to his name. But Rune fought back to reduce the lead and eventually levelled the score 8-8.

With a match point at stake at 8-8, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina made a highly questionable decision of hitting an underarm serve. And it was a choice that cost him dearly.

A very alert Rune quickly responded to it by hitting a return winner. That mini-break gifted by the Spaniard proved decisive as Holger Rune closed out the match on his serve on the next point.

The tennis community was left speechless by the World No. 34’s abrupt decision, with many sharing their reactions to it. Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs pointed out that Alejandro Davidovich Fokina's Wimbledon campaign last year similarly ended on a controversial super tie-break. On that occasion, he lost after getting a ball abuse point penalty on match point.

"That was the worst brain fart I’ve seen in a long time! Davidovich Fokina hitting underhand at 8-8 in the tiebreak! I mean I thought his default (hitting a ball out of the court) in the TB last year & getting defaulted was a brain fart but this year he topped himself!" Stubbs said.

"I am absolutely dumbfounded by the underhand S&V by Fokina at 8-all in [tie]breaker. Just fell apart at closing time," Andre Agassi's ex-coach Brad Gilbert said.

Here are a few more reactions from the tennis world:

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"I was not expecting it" – Holger Rune on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina's underarm serve in Wimbledon match

Holger Rune and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

Holger Rune dropped to the floor after winning the high-stakes battle that lasted a total of four hours. In his on-court interview, the Dane revisited Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s decision to hit an underarm serve.

Rune remarked that his opponent’s move was unexpected and that he had to be quick on his feet in response. He, however, stated that he was happy with how the situation played out as the Spaniard was dishing out impressive serves up until that point.

“I was not expecting that for sure – that (the underarm serve) was gonna come. Actually, it was nice. Because he was serving unbelievable. So, I was like, ‘Ok, what’s the chance to get a match point?’ But again, I was not expecting it. So, I had to be fast on the feet. But wow, what a match,” Holger Rune said in his on-court interview.

Rune is through to the second week of Wimbledon for the first time in his career, in just his second appearance at the event. The Dane now awaits the winner of Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov in the fourth round.