Jódar on his controversy with Shapovalov: "These are things I cannot control"

Diego Jiménez Rubio - 16 Aug 2026 | 06:36
Rafael Jódar ATP ATP Cincinnati 2026 Denis Shapovalov Rueda de prensa

The Spaniard was asked in Cincinnati about Shapovalov's reprimands due to his interruptions in the third set and shared the keys to his epic comeback.

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Rafael Jódar, controversy with Shapovalov in Cincinnati. Photo: gettyimages

Rafael Jódar is the new great phenomenon in world tennis, and not only does he win matches, but he also possesses that innate ability that only a few geniuses have to captivate with his dedication on the court, to infuriate opponents, to polarize with certain behaviors, and above all, to honor tennis by never giving up. He demonstrated this against Denis Shapovalov at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati 2026.

A true monster is being created in the ATP, and he seems determined to devour everything and everyone. Rafael Jódar achieved one of those victories at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati 2026 that perfectly encapsulates the essence of a tennis player and serves as an extraordinary guarantee that we are witnessing the birth of a great star.

Jódar stated, "I gave it my all on the court" to come back against Shapovalov from 1-5 in the third set

Far from resting on his good performances in Montreal and Washington, the player from Madrid put on his work uniform and endured the unimaginable to defeat Denis Shapovalov, avoiding the physical and mental fatigue he carries, as well as the little time he had to adapt to the playing conditions in the Ohio tournament.

"I knew it was going to be a very tough match. Shapovalov is a great player, and the pressure is maximum in all Masters 1000 matches. I have to play my best tennis if I want to win matches in these tournaments; everything changes from one day to the next, and I believe that what I did best today was managing my emotions at key moments, especially in the third set," he said in remarks gathered by TennisTV.

What happened in that third set was a real rollercoaster, an inexplicable madness resulting in a comeback from 1-5, winning six consecutive games, saving two match points, and arguing with Shapovalov over the Canadian's reprimands due to Jódar stopping the match because his shoelaces broke, needing to prepare others to put on his shoes.

Rafa Jódar downplayed Shapovalov's reprimands regarding the shoelaces

This was interpreted as a unsportsmanlike tactic by the Canadian, who scolded him at that moment and at the end of the match. However, if there is someone Shapovalov has to blame, it is himself for how he played the decisive moments of the match. Jódar wanted to steer clear of controversies when asked about it.

"It’s a situation I can’t control, honestly. My shoelaces broke, and I needed time to prepare new ones. I will try to have some shoelaces ready for the next match or other shoes to reduce the stoppage time in case it happens again," assured the player from Madrid.

What is clear with this victory is the competitive spirit that Rafael Jódar possesses and how difficult it is to win a match against him, regardless of the context. He continues knocking at the doors of the top-10, accumulating 30 victories in the last 37 matches played, and displaying a commendable attitude that only a few have. "I gave it my all on the court." This is how the Spaniard summarized his performance against Denis Shapovalov. He will face Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati 2026.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar, sobre su polémica con Shapovalov: "Son cosas que no puedo controlar"