World number one Jannik Sinner demonstrated his composure and skill on Wednesday by edging past 19‑year‑old wildcard Rafael Jodar with a 6‑2, 7‑6 (7‑0) victory in the quarter‑finals of the Madrid Open. The win not only propelled Sinner into the semi‑finals but also made him the sixth player in history to reach the semi‑final stage of all nine ATP Masters 1000 events, underscoring his consistency at the highest tier of the sport.
From the first serve, the 24‑year‑old Italian imposed a disciplined game plan. He broke the home favourite twice in the opening set, establishing a 5‑2 lead that gave him a comfortable cushion.
Sinner then capped the set with a powerful backhand winner, sealing it 6‑2 and sending the crowd into a brief applause before the Spanish crowd rallied behind Jodar for the second set. The young Spaniard, who had captured his maiden tour title in Morocco earlier in the month, showed flashes of brilliance in the second set. He surged ahead 4‑2, threatening to turn the tide. However, Sinner’s experience shone through as he saved two break points to bring the score back to 3‑3.
A double fault from Sinner briefly gave Jodar another chance to break, but the Italian responded with a crisp cross‑court forehand and two precise backhand winners that clipped the sideline, staving off the break. The tension escalated when Sinner built a 40‑15 advantage in the next game. Jodar, refusing to surrender, saved three break points before finally converting one, showing the resilience that had taken him this far. Yet Sinner remained unflappable.
He gathered momentum, and when the set reached a tiebreak, he dominated it, racing to a 7‑0 clean sweep. A final forehand that Jodar could not reach sealed the match, confirming Sinner’s place in the semi‑finals.
Speaking to Sky Sports Tennis after the win, Sinner praised his opponent: "He's an incredible player, Spain has another fantastic talent and it’s great for the sport. It was a tough challenge; I knew before the match it would be very difficult to beat him, especially here. He knows how to play in these conditions perfectly. 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 next opponent will be the winner of the match between France’s Arthur Fils and the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka, scheduled later on Wednesday.
Both players have displayed strong form, setting up an intriguing semi‑final clash for the world number one. In the women’s draw, another historic moment unfolded. Anastasia Potapova, a Russian‑born Austrian, became the first lucky loser ever to reach a WTA 1000 semi‑final after a thrilling 6‑1, 6‑7 (4‑7), 6‑3 win over former world number one Karolina Pliskova.
Potapova, who had fallen in qualifying the week before, seized her unexpected main‑draw entry and turned it into a remarkable run, including victories over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world number two Elena Rybakina. When asked whether she ever imagined being among the final four after her qualifying loss, 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." Potapova’s resilience was evident in the deciding set. After trailing 3‑1, she surged ahead with five consecutive games, clinching the match with her tenth ace before collapsing to her knees in relief.
Reflecting on the match, she admitted, "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." The Russian‑Austrian will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the semi‑finals.
Kostyuk, who defeated Potapova in the fourth round of the previous year’s Madrid Open, has been unbeaten on clay this season and recently dispatched Linda Noskova 7‑6 (7‑1), 6‑0 to secure her own semi‑final berth. Both the ATP and WTA events continue to draw global audiences, with live coverage available on Sky Sports and streaming through NOW and the Sky Sports app. Subscribers enjoy more than 50 percent additional live sport at no extra charge, reinforcing the platform’s commitment to delivering premier tennis action to fans worldwide.
Overall, the Madrid Open has once again highlighted the depth of talent across both tours, with seasoned champions like Sinner reinforcing their elite status while newcomers such as Jodar and Potapova capture imaginations with breakthrough performances. The upcoming semi‑finals promise high‑quality tennis and the potential for further historic achievements as players vie for the coveted titles on the red clay of Spain.