Jódar is a competitive beast

Rafael Jódar secured his ticket to the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026 after a great comeback against Botic Van de Zandschulp in a match that perfectly summarizes the fierce competitive will of the Spaniard. The result was 6-7 (4) 6-4 6-2.

He is a special tennis player, a competitive beast capable of licking his wounds in silence only to tear apart his rivals with unprecedented ferocity. Rafael Jódar continues to surprise both fans and foes, and at this ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai 2026, he is elevating both his tennis and his winning mentality to a higher status. The victory over Botic Van de Zandschulp aptly summarizes his virtues as a player and propels him into the quarter-finals of a tournament that could be a turning point for him.

These were the keys to Jódar's victory over Van de Zandschulp in Shanghai

Dominant from the start, with a clear determination to impose his rhythm of play, moving the ball from side to side and dictating the pace of the match. That’s how the first set began for a Jódar who showed good feelings on the court but couldn’t materialize them on the scoreboard. Botic clung to the match with great skill and was able to save the two break points that the Spaniard had.

This led to a tiebreak where Rafa entered with the feeling of having let his opponent escape alive. This made him take some hasty decisions and collide with the best version of Botic, who hit the ball mercilessly and put a lot of pressure on his rival, eventually taking the partial win.

Jódar struck back with the break at the start of the second set

What would have been a mental blow for almost any player, especially for someone 20 years old in his first season as a professional, became for Rafa an extra motivation in his competitive drive from the start of the second set. So much so that he was able to maintain his leg intensity and shot power, taking advantage of a certain loss of tension from his rival to break his serve.

All square in Shanghai 🟰 Second set goes Jodar's way 6-4! #RolexShanghaiMasters https://t.co/6nAPfAKcxn

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 14, 2026

Botic reacted skillfully, finding a way to counterattack the Spaniard's assaults with running shots that unsettled him and leveled the score midway through the set. However, Jódar struck again with a lethal blow from the return and had exquisite composure to close the tight set in a grueling game at 5-4 with serve, where he squandered a 40-0 but managed to win it with more heart than skill.

This will be Jódar's fourth appearance in a Masters 1000 quarter-final

This situation took its toll on the Dutch player, who lost intensity and hope for victory in the third set. Jódar continued to attack and assert himself as if nothing was wrong, managing a break in the early stages, taking advantage of the emotional toll on a desperate Botic in the face of his competitor's resilience. The Dutchman lost focus and freshness, watching how the plane from Leganés passed over him.

A tremendously meritorious and prestigious victory for Rafael Jódar, who once again makes it to the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000. He now awaits the winner of the match between Ruud and Auger-Aliassime, being aware that he is taking very important steps towards his goal of securing a spot in the ATP Finals 2026. But above all, it is the pace of growth as a tennis player that he is experiencing.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar es una bestia competitiva