Jódar tames Fils again and advances to his first Masters 1000 semifinals
Neither the rain delay, nor the heat, nor even a slight discomfort in the ankle could stop Rafa Jódar this Tuesday, who once again defeated Arthur Fils to secure a spot among the top four in ATP Montreal 2026.
Rafa Jódar continues to write a story that is difficult to explain. The Spaniard won tonight against Arthur Fils by 7-6 and 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 in Montreal, qualifying for the semifinals of a tournament of this category for the first time. Interestingly, he achieved this with the same score as the last time they faced each other, exactly a week ago at the Washington tournament.
Today there was once again a battle, interruptions, and moments when the Madrid player had to prove that he knows how to win even when the match gets tricky. The first set was incredibly tight. Neither player could establish a definitive gap, and each game turned into a fight over small details. Jódar had to maintain concentration during a stretch in which Fils managed to compete on equal terms, taking it to a tiebreak. There, the Spaniard again demonstrated his ability to play crucial points and ended up taking a set that had stretched to the limit.
As if the tension wasn't enough, rain forced the match to pause for about an hour. An uncomfortable break that could disrupt anyone's rhythm, especially after playing such a demanding first set. Jódar, however, returned to the court without losing the thread of the match.
The second set began with the Spaniard taking the lead. It seemed that the match could quickly tilt in his favor, but Fils was not willing to disappear. The Frenchman broke back and equalized the score to make it 3-3. It was then that Jódar stepped up again. The Spaniard managed to break Fils's serve once more and, this time, did not allow the advantage to slip away. He closed the next games with authority and sealed the victory by 7-6 and 6-3.
First Masters 1000 Semifinals for Rafa Jódar
It wasn't Jódar's most overwhelming version, but perhaps one of the most important. Because a player who is competing in their first season as a professional still needs to learn how to win matches like this. He has to find the formula to win when the opponent tightens, when the rain forces a stoppage, and when each point carries weight. And that’s what Jódar did tonight.
The reward, as can only be expected, is enormous. Semifinals of a Masters 1000 in his first year as a professional. There he will face Brandon Nakashima, who is also having an extraordinary week and arrives after reaching the semifinals in Washington. The dream continues, and it’s becoming harder to call it a surprise.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar vuelve a domar a Fils y se mete en sus primeras semifinales de Masters 1000