An immeasurable Jódar sweeps Norrie to dream of the title in Barcelona

Pedro de Pablos | 17 Apr 2026 | 18.09

A boundless Jódar sweeps Norrie aside to dream of the title in Barcelona.

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Rafa Jódar has no limit. After winning the Marrakech ATP 250, the Spanish tennis player has just secured his spot in the semifinals of the Barcelona Open 2026 after defeating Cameron Norrie with a score of 6-3 6-2, in one hour and 9 minutes of play. This not only shows that he is the new jewel of Spanish tennis but also confirms that he is already prepared for great things.

Jódar always goes for the winning shot, whether from the forehand or backhand, with astonishing courage for a 19-year-old player who less than half a year ago was deciding between continuing his university studies or dedicating himself 100% to tennis. On this occasion, he was facing Cameron Norrie with the incentive of having already comfortably defeated him at the Acapulco ATP 500, and it happened again. Another comfortable victory, with the Spanish player once again aiming to make history in the most important tournament of his career to date.

Jódar gives Norrie no chance in the first set

Just like in the round of 16 match against Carabelli, Jódar suffered an early break that put him behind on the scoreboard, but he didn't take long to react. In fact, similar to his match against the Argentinian, he responded with two consecutive breaks that put him at 3-1 and with serve. However, Norrie was not going to give up easily, breaking his serve again in a series of breaks that suggested a wild match between both players.

Nevertheless, the level of the Spanish player was in line with what he had shown in recent days, or even better. Always looking for the winner, sending Norrie out of the court with shots of all kinds and showcasing his full range with the forehand and backhand. The British player never felt comfortable, and with a phenomenal volley, Jódar once again took the lead with 5-2 leading the way in the first set. Cameron held his serve and put pressure on the Spanish player, but Rafa remained focused and closed the first set 6-3.

Jódar excels in tennis to reach the semifinals

The second set started evenly, although it was Jódar who first showcased his magic with another point that lifted the crowd in the Rafael Nadal Court, which was packed to capacity to support their new rising star. That extra support helped him secure the break with another incredible point, putting himself at 3-2 with serve and one step closer to the semifinals. He was playing flawless tennis, and Norrie was starting to get frustrated.

From that point on, there was no match, and the British player could not put up a fight as he was overwhelmed by Jódar's arsenal, who handled the pressure flawlessly except for a double fault in the final game. With another forehand winner, Rafa secured his spot in the semifinals, where he will compete for a place in the final against Arthur Fils. It could be said that this is a showdown between the two most in-form players of the tournament.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Un inconmensurable Jódar barre a Norrie para soñar con el título en Barcelona