Breakout Star Jodar in Last Eight at Roland Garros
The 19-year-old won his second straight five-set match and will face either Alexander Zverev or Jesper De Jong in the last eight.
- On Sunday, teenager Rafael Jodar reached his first French Open quarterfinal, defeating veteran Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 after fighting back from two sets down in a three-hour, 41-minute battle.
- The 19-year-old clay court specialist turned pro late last year and has emerged as a breakout star this spring, winning a maiden title in Marrakesh and reaching semifinals in Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome.
- After losing the first two sets, Jodar dominated with aggressive play and attacking forehands, winning three straight games while Carreno Busta took a medical timeout for his right shoulder but could not recover.
- Having also gone the distance against American Alex Michelsen in the third round, Jodar has won two consecutive five-set matches and is now one short of equalling Rafael Nadal's Roland Garros five-set record.
- Jodar will face either Alexander Zverev or Dutchman Jesper De Jong in the quarterfinals, maintaining dark horse status for the title after world number one Jannik Sinner's surprise exit.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Nadal is retired, Alcaraz's package, but Spain will be well represented in the quarter-finals at Roland-Garros: at 19, Rafael Jodar invited himself to the sound of the "Vamos Rafa", on the land of his illustrious models.
19-year-olds Jodar, Fonseca reach French quarters
Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar moved into his first Grand Slam quarterfinal after coming back from two sets down Sunday at Roland Garros. Also advancing was fellow 19-year-old Joao Fonseca, No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev and 20-year-old Jakub Mensik.
Sydney Morning Herald
History repeating? Rafa 2.0 storms into Roland-Garros quarter-finals in debut run
Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar won another five-setter to reach the last eight in Paris and remain on track to match one of Rafael Nadal’s extraordinary feats.
The young Spaniard will face German and no. 3 world Alexander Zverev in the next round, the latter still in search of a first major title.
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