By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, Might 12, 2026
Picture credit score: Mutua Madrid Open Fb
Detonating damaging drives, Rafael Jodar continues constructing large success on grime.
The 19-year-old Jodar overpowered Learner Tien 6-1, 6-4 charging into his second straight ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal in Rome extending his historic run.
Jodar is the youngest man to succeed in the Rome quarterfinals since Novak Djokovic again in 2007. Jodar will play both second-seeded Alexander Zverev or 18th-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi for a semifinal spot.
Earlier, Casper Ruud dashed residence hopes crushing hobbled Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-1. Two-time Roland Garros finalist Ruud reached his fifth Rome quarterfinal in seven appearances. Ruud joins Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Zverev because the fourth energetic man to succeed in 5 Rome quarterfinals. Musetti, who was bothered by a left thigh problem, noticed his quest for a second Rome quarterfinal denied.
Three-time Rome semifinalist Ruud knew Musetti was bodily compromised and punished the Italian with nook to nook drives.
“Since I didn’t play Lorenzo in a very long time, I actually did some analysis,” Ruud mentioned. “I used to be watching a whole lot of his matches, particularly right here in Rome. Truly was watching dwell with Cerundolo the final match. In the direction of the tip of the match he form of regarded just a little bit struggling already.
“I spotted that if that’s the case, we attempt to make him run as a lot as doable. It’s merciless and it’s brutal, however that’s sport. You need to do every part you’ll be able to to attempt to win matches. For me, each win is vital. On the similar time after all I want him to be wholesome and get well as quick as doable. However in the direction of the tip, after all, you might see that he was struggling.”
Weeks after he thrilled residence followers reaching the Mutua Madrid Open ultimate eight as a wild card, Jodar managed a lot of this teen v. Tien conflict from begin to end. Jodar gained 10 of 19 factors performed on Tien’s second serve and broke serve 4 occasions in a 75-minute victory.
Marrakech champion Jodar raised his clay-court file to 15-2 on the season, equaling Tomás Martín Etcheverry for many ATP clay wins this season and turning into the primary teenager to succeed in
quarterfinals of a number of ATP Masters 1000 tournaments in a single season since Djokovic again in 2007.
This assembly was a rematch of the pair’s Subsequent Gen ATP Finals match that noticed Jodar fend off 4 match factors.
The proficient Tien is a gifted shotmaker, however nonetheless discovering his legs and studying how you can adapt his precision recreation to the pink grime. Tien is a talented counter-strike artist, however Jodar was lasering crackling groundstrokes over 80 mph giving the American left-hander little time to function. Tien was slipping and sliding at occasions inflicting his makes an attempt to
In distinction, Jodar repeatedly used his kick serve to arrange the primary strike he usually whipped into the open court docket to place the American on the defensive from the early levels of rallies.
Firing a flat forehand down the road gave the Spaniard break factors. When Tien double faulted, Jodar had the primary break for a 3-1 lead.
Displacing Tien with the broad kick serve, Jodar blasted a backhand winner extending his result in 4-1 after 22 minutes.
The disarming mixture of Jodar’s velocity and harsh depth noticed him serve out the 31-minute opening set at 15.
Enjoying larger, heavier topspin to ship the Spaniard again behind the baseline, Tien earned double break level within the fourth recreation. A sequence of heavy forehands cornered Jodar then Tien stepped in and torched a forehand winner down the road incomes his first break for a 3-1 second-set lead.
After all, it’s probably not a break till you affirm it. Tien couldn’t consolidate as Jodar whipped flat drives to interrupt proper again within the fifth recreation. From 1-3 down, Jodar turned it up racing by way of 5 of the ultimate six video games whereas forcing Tien to attempt to play nearer to the strains.
Persevering with to unleash jolting drives, Jodar rallied from 15-30 down to carry for 5-3.
Festering frustration boiled over in Tien, who tossed his Wilson racquet within the air and kicked it earlier than it crashed to the bottom.
Serving for the match, Jodar pounded by way of a 10-shot rally earlier than Tien missed a backhand ending a 75-minute encounter.
The explosive Jodar has change into a fan favourite already at age 19. Funnily sufficient, fellow gamers could have been rooting for his Rome run. Now, Jodar rises to No. 29 within the ATP Dwell Rankings guaranteeing he will probably be seeded at Roland Garros fairly than working as a harmful floater.
