Rafael Jódar continues to amaze both friends and strangers with his unusual brilliance and naturalness in destroying opponents. The Spaniard secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 Rome 2026 after defeating Learner Tien by 6-1 6-4, setting up a match now with the winner of the clash between Zverev and Darderi.
There are matches that can shape trajectories and give many clues about what to expect from certain players. Rafael Jódar was aware of the significance of asserting his authority in the duel against his contemporary Learner Tien in the round of 16 of the ATP Masters 1000 Rome 2026. A great battle was expected between two players still in the process of maturation but with tremendous potential and contrasting styles. The match did not disappoint.
Jódar only lost his serve once
The Spanish player once again amazed with a stunning start to the match. Just as he did with Arnaldi, the Madrid-born player mercilessly dominated Tien in the first set, apparently surprised by the ball speed and baseline consistency of his opponent. The talented lefty sought changes in height and speed but encountered a colossus across the net, pressing every ball without conceding an inch of the court and constantly finding ways to overwhelm him.
Everything had gone so smoothly that Rafa could not avoid that small dose of almost inevitable relaxation at the beginning of the second set. This led to the break against him, with Tien intensifying his baseline play and trying to be more aggressive with parallel drives, realizing that the exchange between his cross-court forehand and Jódar's backhand provided him no advantage. Being 1-3 down in the scoreboard spurred the Madrid native to regain his best form and reflect it with astonishing ease on the scoreboard.
The Spaniard neutralized Tien's lefty drive with stellar backhand play
He strung together four consecutive games and did not hesitate to close the match, as if he had been born to perform in these scenarios of maximum competitive pressure. Rafael Jódar continues to excite with his progress and aims for very important achievements in this ATP Masters 1000 Rome 2026. For now, his quarterfinal pass guarantees him being a seed at Roland Garros 2026 and allows him to dream of further progress at the Foro Italico.
Cette actualité est une traduction automatique. Vous pouvez lire la nouvelle originale El monstruo de Leganés anda suelto en Roma

