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Rafael Jodar in action on Tuesday in Madrid.
By Sam Jacot
Rafael Jodar advanced to the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time on Tuesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, where he dispatched Vit Kopriva 7-5, 6-0 on home soil to set a maiden meeting with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
The 19-year-old Spaniard is just the sixth teenager to reach the last eight at a Masters 1000 event this decade, while he is just the fourth wild card to advance to this stage in Madrid tournament history.
"I am super happy with my level today and at this tournament," Jodar said. "It is special to play at home, in front of many people that I know and have come to support. I am super happy to play another match tomorrow.
"It is another opportunity. I will have to recover well and prepare the match as best as possible, as it will be another tough match."
Red-lining the ball, Jodar has blown away opponents in the past month. The 19-year-old has won 12 of his past 13 matches, lifting his maiden tour-level trophy in Marrakech and advancing to the semi-finals at the ATP 500 in Barcelona.
Teenage Masters 1000 quarter-finalists this decade
| Player | QFs |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 8 |
| Jakub Mensik | 3 |
| Holger Rune | 3 |
| Rafael Jodar | 1 |
| Joao Fonseca | 1 |
| Jannik Sinner | 1 |
In Madrid, Jodar earned his first Top 10 win against Alex de Minaur, beat Joao Fonseca in the battle between the two 19-year-old stars and overcame Jesper de Jong. The 19-year-old needed just 80 minutes to defeat Kopriva on a sun-baked Manolo Santana Stadium on Tuesday.
The former University of Virginia star Jodar saved both break points he faced against Kopriva and overpowered the Czech with the relentless baseline hitting that fans have become accustomed to seeing since the Spaniard competed at the Next Gen ATP Finals last December.
Jodar, currently No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will next meet Sinner, who is aiming to become the first man in history to win five consecutive Masters 1000 crowns. The Italian defeated Cameron Norrie in the fourth round earlier on Tuesday and is excited for a first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Jodar
“It would be good if I face him before Rome and then Roland Garros,” Sinner said. “Here is very unique conditions. He is from Madrid, so he is very used to these conditions here… So very exciting, new player. Big, big talent. Let's see what's coming.”
Jodar will face Sinner not before 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Did You Know?
Jodar is the third Spanish teenager to reach the quarter-finals in Madrid, joining Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
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