Rafa Jódar advanced to the quarterfinals of the Shanghai Masters after overcoming a first-set deficit to defeat Botic van Zandschulp 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 in two and a half hours on hard court. The Madrid native secured his place among the final eight at the ATP Masters 1000 event for the fourth time this season, extending a run that previously included deep tournament appearances in Montreal, Rome, and Madrid.
Battle Through the Opening Set
The Dutch veteran Botic van Zandschulp applied immediate pressure on the hard court surface, building on a tournament run that included prior wins over Dani Mérida, Alex Michelsen, and Arthur Fils. Jódar struggled to capitalize on two early break point opportunities in the opening frame. That failure proved costly when Van Zandschulp claimed the subsequent tiebreak 7-4 to seize the initial advantage after a grueling baseline exchange.
Turning the Match Around in Shanghai
Faced with a familiar script from his earlier rounds in China—where he also dropped the opening set against Agustín Tirante and Jiří Lehečka—Jódar shifted the tactical momentum at the start of the second set. The world number 13 broke Van Zandschulp immediately, and while the Dutchman managed a brief counter-break, Jódar reclaimed the advantage right away. He converted his sixth set point to level the match before racing through a dominant deciding set built on a high-percentage first serve and two quick service breaks.
Next Challenge in the Chinese Draw
Jódar advances to face the winner of the quarterfinal qualifier between Norwegian Casper Ruud and Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. The victory also preserves the Spanish player’s mathematical chances in the ongoing race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals.
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