Rafael Jódar reached the quarterfinals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday, securing his fourth quarterfinal appearance in his last five ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, ATP Tour reported. The 20-year-old Spaniard fought through a two-hour and 30-minute match on the hard courts in China to join compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the tournament’s final eight.
How Rafael Jódar Overcame Botic van de Zandschulp in Three Sets
The encounter at the Qi Zhong Tennis Center marked the first career meeting between Jódar and the 41st-ranked Dutchman. Van de Zandschulp capitalized on early opportunities, saving two break points in a tight opening set and prevailing in the tie-break 7-4 after Jódar failed to convert chances with a 4-3 lead, according to reporting from Notimérica. Jódar responded immediately at the start of the second set by breaking serve, and though he dropped a service game in the sixth game, he regained control with another break. In the decisive third set, the Madrid native established an early break and maintained dominance on his serve to close out the victory.
Van de Zandschulp, appearing in his fourth Shanghai tournament and surpassing his previous second-round exits in 2023 and 2024, arrived with wins over Dani Mérida, American Alex Michelsen, and Frenchman Arthur Fils.
Ha sido un partido muy difícil, como todos los que he jugado aquí en Shanghái
, Jódar stated after the match, noting the physical demands of the contest. Estoy contento de haber podido conseguir la victoria en mi primer partido aquí en la pista central y ahora a recuperarse y a pensar en el siguiente partido que seguro que será muy difícil
.
The victory gave Jódar his 41st win of the season from 57 matches, continuing a debut season on the circuit that began after receiving a wildcard at Indian Wells, where he fell in the opening round to Alejandro Tabilo. At 20 years and 27 days old, he became the second-youngest player to reach the quarterfinals in tournament history, trailing only Jakub Mensik, who achieved the feat at 19 years and one month old during the 2024 edition, ATP Tour records show.
Spaniards Advance Together in Shanghai as Alcaraz Exits
Jódar’s progression alongside Davidovich Fokina marks the first time since 2017 that two Spanish players have reached the quarterfinals in Shanghai, ATP Tour noted. Yahoo Deportes added that Davidovich Fokina secured his spot a day earlier by defeating Hubert Hurkacz. Meanwhile, third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz suffered an unexpected exit in the tournament, falling in straight sets to Belgium’s Zizou Bergs by 7-5, 7-6(4), as reported by Eurosport.
The outcomes leave the tournament without its highest-ranked Spanish contender, while keeping alive the broader statistical pursuit of a Spanish singles title in Shanghai, which remains the only ATP Masters 1000 event never won by a player from Spain, according to Yahoo Deportes.
The Race to Turin and What Lies Ahead in the Draw
With his run to the quarterfinals, Jódar maintains his push for a qualification spot at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals. He occupies the No. 11 position in the PIF ATP Race to Turin with 2,709 points, sitting 131 points behind Novak Djokovic at No. 10 with 2,840 points, and 171 points behind ninth-placed Alex de Miñaur, who holds the final qualification threshold, as detailed by ATP Tour.
Looking ahead to the quarterfinals on Friday, Jódar will face Norway’s Casper Ruud, who advanced following the withdrawal of fifth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Related reading
