World No. 1 Jannik Sinner demonstrated his resilience on Wednesday by edging out 19‑year‑old wild‑card entrant Rafael Jodar 6‑2, 7‑6 (7‑0) in the quarter‑finals of the Madrid Open. The victory not only secured Sinner’s place in the semi‑finals but also made him the sixth player in history to reach the last four of all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
The Italian opened the match with a disciplined display, breaking the home favourite twice in the first set to establish a 5‑2 lead. He capped the set with a powerful backhand winner that left Jodar scrambling. In the second set, the Spaniard raised his level, pushing ahead 4‑2 and threatening to swing the momentum in his favor.
Sinner, however, displayed composure under pressure, saving two break points to level the score at 3‑3. A double fault from Sinner gave Jodar a chance to break again, but the world‑number‑one responded with a series of aggressive cross‑court forehands and precise backhand winners that clipped the sideline. After gaining a 40‑15 advantage, Sinner seemed to have the upper hand, yet Jodar fought back, saving three break points before finally clinching the game. The tension escalated as the set progressed to a tiebreak.
Sinner, who is chasing his second clay‑court title of the season after triumphing at Monte‑Carlo, dominated the breaker with a flurry of forehand shots that Jodar could not retrieve. The 24‑year‑old closed the match with a decisive forehand that sealed a 7‑6 (7‑0) tiebreak win, confirming his spot in the next round.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis after the win, Sinner praised his opponent: "He’s an incredible player, Spain has another amazing talent and it’s great for the sport. It was a tough challenge – I knew before the match that beating him here would be difficult, especially because he knows the conditions so well. I gained a little more experience in the second set, got a bit lucky at times, but I tried to keep my level as high as possible.
I’m happy with how I finished the match; I tried to raise my intensity a bit and that helped me." Sinner’s semi‑final opponent will be determined later on Wednesday when Arthur Fils and Jiri Lehecka meet. Both players have shown strong form, and the winner will face the Italian in what promises to be a high‑stakes encounter.
In the women’s draw, Anastasia Potapova created history by becoming the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 semi‑final. After losing in qualifying, the Russian‑born Austrian seized her unexpected main‑draw spot and defeated former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova 6‑1, 6‑7 (4‑7), 6‑3. Potapova’s run has been remarkable, featuring wins over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world No.
2 Elena Rybakina. When asked if she ever imagined being among the final four after her qualifying defeat, Potapova replied, "No, I wouldn’t have thought that for any amount of money or anything. That’s what makes our sport beautiful. I was given a second chance and now I’m here.
I’m super happy – there’s nothing better that could happen to me right now." The final set saw Potapova trailing 3‑1 before she surged ahead with five consecutive games, sealing the match with her tenth ace before collapsing to her knees in relief. Reflecting on missed opportunities, she said, "I had a few match points in the second set on serve. I couldn’t manage my nerves at the time, I know that. But it seems like this tournament keeps giving me second chances and I keep using them." Potapova will now face Marta Kostyuk in the semi‑finals.
The Ukrainian, who dispatched Linda Noskova 7‑6 (7‑1), 6‑0, is undefeated on clay this season and previously eliminated Potapova in the fourth round of last year’s Madrid event. Both the ATP and WTA tours continue to attract massive viewership, with live coverage available on Sky Sports and streaming through NOW and the Sky Sports app. Subscribers enjoy over 50 percent more live sport at no extra charge, underscoring the growing accessibility of top‑level tennis for fans worldwide.