Jódar analyzes his rivalry with Fonseca after eliminating him in Madrid

Pedro de Pablos | 27 Apr 2026 | 01.20

Jódar analyzes his rivalry with Fonseca after eliminating him in Madrid.

Streaming ATP Madrid MD live tennis

🎾 Doumbia/Reboul vs Cash/Glasspool

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Rafa Jódar has once again shown why there are high expectations surrounding his figure. The Spanish tennis player has eliminated another great talent like Joao Fonseca to reach his first round of 16 in a Masters 1000 at the Mutua Madrid Open 2026, and upon finishing, he praised the Brazilian player in what could be the start of a beautiful rivalry.

Both players were born in 2006, and for months now, they have been demonstrating that they have the level and qualities to dream big in the sport of tennis. Furthermore, if Jódar defeats Vit Kopriva on Tuesday and Jannik Sinner does the same against Cameron Norrie, they could face each other in the quarterfinals, in one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament. However, the young prodigy from Madrid prefers to take it match by match.

Regarding his match against Fonseca, it is worth noting that it was a delight from both sides, although in the third set, the Brazilian faltered after an early break. "I knew I had to play my game in the third set, and everything went smoothly. Very pleased with that level in the third set, since Joao is a very tough opponent and I had to do things very well to secure the victory," Jódar stated to the press at the Manolo Santana Court.

Jódar explains his physical issues against Fonseca

Aside from that 6-1 in the crucial set, the match was very close, and at one point, Fonseca had Jódar on the ropes, in a match that will probably be the first of many more where significant things will be at stake. "It has been a very evenly matched encounter. Joao has been doing things very well this season, and I want to wish him the best for this season and for his career because he has a brilliant career ahead of him. Time will tell if this is the start of a rivalry. It has been a high-level match from both players."

The match also had some drama, as while Fonseca smashed his racket at the beginning of the third set, Jódar asked his father (and coach) for help due to the cramps in his legs. However, he played down the situation. "They were minor discomforts. They are part of the game's flow and stay within the match. Now, I will try to recover as best as possible to be ready for Tuesday," he concluded.

His next opponent will be Vit Kopriva, who has been on fire, defeating Andrey Rublev and benefiting from Arthur Rinderknech's retirement to reach the second week of the Mutua Madrid Open 2026. So far, in the clay court season, Jódar has one title from the ATP 250 in Marrakech (his first ATP title), a semifinal in the Barcelona Open, and now these round of 16 results that allow him to continue climbing up the rankings at a fast pace. Not too long ago, Rafa had to decide between staying in university or dedicating himself fully to tennis when he was beyond the top 600. Just half a year later, he is one of the biggest rising stars seen in this sport in recent years.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar analiza su rivalidad con Fonseca tras eliminarle en Madrid