Jódar graduates at Roland Garros with an incredible victory over Michelsen

Pedro de Pablos | 29 May 2026 | 14.09

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Rafa Jódar has suffered a lot to secure his spot in the round of 16 of Roland Garros 2026 at the expense of Alex Michelsen, who pushed him to the limit. However, the Spanish tennis player showed an unexpected maturity for someone his age and ended up prevailing with a score of 7-6(2) 6-7(5) 6-4 and 6-3 after 4 hours and 16 minutes of play.

It wasn't Jódar's best match, as his game was very inconsistent, but in the end, a win is a win, and in this case, it's one of those victories that make you a better player, just like against Duckworth. Alex Michelsen was more than a worthy opponent, but this 19-year-old kid once again showed that he not only has tennis skills but also a great mentality to achieve big things in this sport. For now, he has reached his first round of 16, but he aims much higher.

Jódar and Michelsen Split the First Two Sets

The first set was incredibly tight. Initially, both players seemed solid on serve, but from the fourth game onwards, there was a battle of breaks. Jódar struck first, but three double faults cost him his service in the following game. However, the Spanish player managed another break, which was once again countered by Michelsen. From then on, there was maximum stability until a tiebreak where the Spanish player was more courageous and dominated with his baseline game to dismantle the American and take the lead in the match.

The second set was a tough setback for Jódar. Neither player gave up their serve in the initial stages, and after saving two break points, the Spanish player finally got the break at 5-5 to serve for closing the set. However, his nerves got the best of him at the crucial moment, and he suffered a break back just like the previous occasions in the first set. Additionally, this time it was Michelsen who took control in the tiebreak, leveling the match and delivering a morale blow to Rafa that was hard to digest.

Jódar Rises from the Ashes

In fact, the blow was so severe that Jódar immediately lost his serve at the beginning of the third set, a clear sign that the weight of the second set was affecting his mindset. Furthermore, Michelsen quickly went up 3-0 and with serve, and despite the Spanish player managing to slightly reduce the gap, he couldn't overcome the lead that would be decisive and put him against the ropes. Alex didn't drop his serve again and closed out the third set with a 6-4 score, raising all alarms.

When all seemed lost, Jódar found strength in weakness to produce an excellent fourth set. He struggled to get the break, but once he did, he set course towards the deciding set. However, Michelsen attempted to break back early in the final set, but Rafa held on and eventually closed it out with a 6-3 score in the second set. The American showed signs of fatigue, and his shots were no longer as precise as in the first two sets.

Jódar Finishes Off Michelsen

At the start of the fifth set, the Spanish player was a whirlwind, playing at a completely different pace than Michelsen. Similar to what happened in the third set but in reverse, Jódar quickly broke his opponent's serve and even had a chance to go up 4-1 with serve, but Alex relied on his serve to stay alive in the match. The American resisted enough to find his reward, began hitting more forehands, and broke back to level at 3-3. The tension was palpable.

More characteristic of a thriller than a tennis match, Jódar not only kept his composure but broke Michelsen again to add more drama to the situation, as if there wasn't enough already. This time, he held his serve to go up 5-3 thanks to a brilliant cross-court backhand on the run. To top it off, he broke the American's serve again and closed out his passage to the round of 16 with a 6-3 victory, setting up a showdown against Pablo Carreño. Spain will have a player in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros at 100%.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar se gradúa en Roland Garros con una increíble victoria ante Michelsen

ATP