Madrid, April 28 (IANS) Spain’s Rafael Jodar advanced to his maiden quarterfinals, dispatching Vit Kopriva 7-5, 6-0 on home soil to set up a first meeting with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner at an ATP Masters 1000 event at the Madrid Open in Madrid on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Spaniard thus became the sixth teenager to reach the last eight stage at a Masters 1000 event this decade, and is also the fourth wild card to advance to this stage in the history of the Madrid tournament.
“I am super happy with my level today and at this tournament,” Jodar said. “It is special to play at home, in front of many people that I know and have come to support. I am super happy to play another match tomorrow,” Jodar was quoted as saying by the ATP website.
“It is another opportunity. I will have to recover well and prepare the match as best as possible, as it will be another tough match.”
Red-lining the ball, Jodar has blown away opponents in the past month. The 19-year-old has won 12 of his past 13 matches, lifting his maiden tour-level trophy in Marrakech and advancing to the semi-finals at the ATP 500 in Barcelona.
In Madrid, Jodar earned his first Top 10 win against Alex de Minaur, beat Joao Fonseca in the battle between the two 19-year-old stars, and overcame Jesper de Jong. The 19-year-old needed just 80 minutes to defeat Kopriva on a sun-baked Manolo Santana Stadium on Tuesday.
The former University of Virginia star Jodar saved both break points he faced against Kopriva and overpowered the Czech with the relentless baseline hitting that fans have become accustomed to seeing since the Spaniard competed at the Next Gen ATP Finals last December.
Jodar, currently No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, will next meet Sinner, who is aiming to become the first man in history to win five consecutive Masters 1000 crowns. The Italian defeated Cameron Norrie in the fourth round earlier on Tuesday and is excited for a first Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Jodar.
“It would be good if I face him before Rome and then Roland Garros,” Sinner said. “Here are very unique conditions. He is from Madrid, so he is very used to these conditions here… So very exciting, new player. Big, big talent. Let’s see what’s coming,” he said.
–IANS
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