World No. 1 Jannik Sinner demonstrated his class 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 moved Sinner into the semi‑finals but also made him the sixth player in history to reach the last four of every ATP Masters 1000 event.
From the first serve, the 24‑year‑old Italian displayed a disciplined, high‑percentage game. He broke the home favourite twice in the opening set, racing to a 5-2 lead before sealing the set with a powerful backhand winner that left Jodar scrambling. Sinner’s ability to maintain focus and execute his shots under pressure was evident as he saved five break points in the second set, eventually stringing together eleven consecutive points to clinch the match.
Jodar, who had captured his maiden tour title in Morocco earlier in the month, showed flashes of brilliance that hinted at a bright future. He surged ahead 4-2 in the second set, forcing Sinner to defend two break points to level the score at 3-3. A double fault from Sinner gave Jodar another chance to break, but the Italian responded with a crisp cross‑court forehand and two backhand winners that brushed the sideline, saving three break points in the process. The momentum swung back and forth.
Sinner pushed ahead 40-15 in the following game, yet Jodar fought back, saving three break points of his own before finally taking the game. Despite the Spanish teenager’s tenacity, Sinner’s experience on clay shone through. After securing the set at 6-6, he dominated the tiebreak, blasting a forehand that Jodar could not reach and sealing the set 7-0.
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 on these conditions.
He knows how to play here, and I managed to stay a little bit luckier in the second set, keeping my level as high as possible. I’m happy with how I finished the match; I tried to raise my game a bit, play a little faster, and that helped me." Sinner’s triumph sets up a semi‑final clash with either France’s rising star Arthur Fils or Czech hopeful Jiri Lehecka, who will complete their quarter‑final match later on Wednesday. The Italian, who is chasing his second clay‑court title of the season after his Monte‑Carlo Masters victory, will look to add another Masters 1000 crown to his résumé. In the women’s draw, Anastasia Potapova made 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 stunned former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova with a 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3 win.
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 believed it for any amount of money.
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 semi‑final will see Potapova face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who dispatched Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-1), 6-0.
Kostyuk, who beat Potapova in the fourth round of Madrid last year, has been unbeaten on clay this season and will look to continue her dominant form. Both the ATP and WTA events are being broadcast live on Sky Sports and can also be streamed via NOW and the Sky Sports app, offering subscribers access to more than half again as much live sport at no additional cost.
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