Jódar delights against Carabelli and keeps dreaming in Barcelona

Pedro de Pablos | 15 Apr 2026 | 16.18

Jódar enjoys himself against Carabelli and keeps dreaming in Barcelona

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Rafa Jódar has secured his spot in the quarterfinals of the Barcelona Open 2026 after defeating Ugo Carabelli with a convincing score of 6-3 6-3 in just one hour and 29 minutes of play. This is just another example of the exponential growth of the Spanish player in recent weeks, as at only 19 years old, he continues to impress the tennis world.

Having rapidly climbed the ATP ranking during the hard court season, Jódar has shown that he can perform perfectly on all types of surfaces. In fact, it was on clay where he earned his first ATP 250 title in Marrakech, propelling him into the top 60 of the rankings. Now that he has proven to himself that he can compete against the best, he is extending his hot streak at the Barcelona Open, improving his ranking and dreaming of causing an upset.

Jódar progresses from a slow start in the first set

The match began with a more erratic version of Jódar than the one displayed against Munar two days earlier. This led to a break in the first game that Carabelli capitalized on to take a 2-0 lead. Despite Rafa having a chance to recover the break, he struggled to find the necessary consistency to challenge the Argentine. However, once the Spanish player secured his first game, the nerves disappeared and his game started to click.

He quickly broke Carabelli back, winning a game at love on return, and then unleashed a series of winners, causing Ugo to lose five consecutive games. Ultimately, Jódar closed out the first set 6-3, gradually gaining momentum and showing superiority over his opponent, particularly from the third game onwards. His forehand became a weapon, posing problems for the Argentine.

Jódar speeds toward the quarterfinals

The second set started evenly, but Jódar's pace was too much for Carabelli. The Spanish player displayed flawless play and earned another break to lead 2-1 with the serve, poised to secure his spot in the quarterfinals. The maturity and composure of a 19-year-old player continuously making significant strides are truly impressive. While he had to save a break point in the sixth game, his serving prowess made things easier.

It seemed like Carabelli's persistence might pay off with another 15-40 in the eighth game, but once again, Jódar unleashed his best shots to thwart his efforts. At that moment, the Argentine player surrendered, conceding his serve again to grant the victory to the Spaniard with a double 6-3 scoreline. In the next round, he will face the winner of the match between Cameron Norrie and Ethan Quinn, with high hopes of achieving a great result.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar se gusta ante Carabelli y sigue soñando en Barcelona