Spanish tennis player Rafael Jodar, 20, reaches Shanghai Masters final
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The gist
Spanish tennis player Rafael Jodar, 20, beat World No. 6 Daniil Medvedev 6-3.
He is the youngest finalist in Shanghai history and is chasing a spot at the ATP Finals.
Background
Rafael Jodar is a 20-year-old Spanish tennis player ranked No. 13, in his first full season on the ATP Tour (the top men's professional circuit). A year ago he was ranked No. 283 while playing college tennis for the University of Virginia, and he began this season at No. 168 before announcing he would turn professional on New Year's Eve. He won his first tour-level title in Marrakech, reached the Washington final in August and the Montreal semi-finals, and is now in contention to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals (the season-ending event for the top eight players).
How it unfolded
- Oct 16, 2026Jodar beat Norway's Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in 2 hours 20 minutes to become the youngest semifinalist in Shanghai Masters history, breaking Ruud's serve five times across the second and third sets.
- Oct 16, 2026Jodar said he was warned for unsportsmanlike conduct after shouting an expletive at a ballboy during his fourth-round match against Botic van de Zandschulp, and said he wanted to apologise to the ballboy.
- Oct 16, 2026Daniil Medvedev beat American Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in 2 hours 9 minutes to set up the semifinal against Jodar.
- Oct 17, 2026Jodar beat World No. 6 Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 in one hour 44 minutes to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final, becoming the youngest finalist in tournament history with 22 winners to Medvedev's 14.
- Oct 17, 2026Alejandro Davidovich Fokina upset top-seeded Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Shanghai final against Jodar.
- Oct 17, 2026Jodar recorded his 20th Masters 1000 win of the season, the youngest player since Rafael Nadal (28 wins in 2005 aged 19) to reach the milestone.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Jodar said he was frustrated with himself and lost control of his emotions when he swore at the ballboy, that he shouldn't have done it and that he is still learning how to behave on court.
- Opponent
- Medvedev said Jodar has a great game and hits very strong, and that it will be fun to see it in real life.
- Opponent
- Zverev, after losing to Davidovich Fokina, said he was flat and returning badly, and that he carried fatigue into the tournament and was okay to lose to a player like this.