Jannik Sinner beats Rafael Jodar to reach Madrid Open semi-finals
World number one Jannik Sinner has advanced to the Madrid Open semi-finals after securing a 6-2 7-6 (7-0) victory over 19-year-old Spanish wildcard Rafael Jodar.
The Italian became only the sixth player in history to reach the final four of all nine ATP 1000 Masters tournaments.
He will face either Arthur Fils or Jiri Lehecka in the next round as he pursues a second clay-court title of the season following his recent Monte-Carlo triumph.
Sinner survives second-set scare
The top seed produced a highly disciplined performance in the opening set.
He broke the local favourite twice to establish a 5-2 lead before sealing the set with a fierce backhand.
However, the teenager, who recently captured his maiden tour title in Morocco, mounted a much stronger challenge in the second set.
Jodar threatened to pull 4-2 ahead, but the world’s highest-ranked player saved two crucial break points to remain level.
Spanish resistance broken in tie-break
A double fault later put the 24-year-old under severe pressure once again.
The Monte-Carlo Masters winner responded emphatically, saving three more break points with a powerful cross-court forehand and consecutive backhand winners that brushed the sideline.
The match ultimately culminated in a one-sided tie-break, which the tournament favourite dominated before sealing his progression with an unreturnable forehand.
Praise for ‘incredible’ Spanish prospect
Following the hard-fought victory, the victor offered high praise for his teenage opponent.
Look, he’s an incredible player, Spain has one more incredible player and it’s great for the sport.
He acknowledged the unique difficulty of facing the youngster in his home country.
I knew already before the match it’s going to be very tough to beat him, especially here where he knows exactly how to play in these conditions.
With his main rival Carlos Alcaraz currently sidelined by injury, the path appears increasingly clear for the top seed to claim another prestigious Masters crown.
