Spanish prodigy Rafael Jodar is rapidly closing in on a historic milestone in men’s tennis, edging ever closer to the quickest ascent into the ATP top ten after his impressive quarter‑final victory over Arthur Filis at the Canadian Open. In a match that was interrupted by rain on Tuesday, the 19‑year‑old Spaniard secured a straight‑sets win, 7‑6 (7‑5), 6‑3, a result that guarantees he will climb to at least the 11th spot in the world rankings. Remarkably, Jodar began the season ranked 165th, making his rise one of the most dramatic of the year. His next challenge will be a semi‑final clash with American teenager Brandon Nakashima on Wednesday night, a contest that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis.
A triumph in that encounter would allow Jodar to eclipse the long‑standing record held by Boris Becker, who needed 210 days to move from outside the top 100 into the top ten. Jodar could achieve the same feat in just 140 days, shattering Becker’s benchmark by a substantial margin. However, Jodar’s path to a final—and the chance to cement his place among the elite—also depends on the outcome of the opposite semi‑final, where defending champion Ben Shelton must fall to Learner Tien.
Shelton, a two‑time Grand Slam semi‑finalist, has been dominant in Toronto, dispatching Jakub Mensík in a brisk 6‑3, 6‑1 victory that lasted just 72 minutes and has not dropped a set throughout the tournament. If the two Spaniard and American meet in Thursday’s final, a win for Jodar would not only hand him a maiden ATP title but also guarantee his entry into the top ten, cementing his status as the fastest player ever to make that leap.
"I played at a very high level against a tough opponent like Arthur," Jodar reflected after his win over Filis. "I had to give everything to close out the match, and I managed to stay calm during the crucial moments." In parallel news from the women’s draw, Kazakh star Elena Rybakina demonstrated resilience after dropping the first set to 11th seed Naomi Osaka. Rybakina rallied to claim a 4‑6, 7‑6 (7‑5), 6‑4 victory, propelling herself into the semi‑finals of the WTA Canadian Open in Toronto. Osaka started strongly, breaking Jody in the opening game and maintaining that advantage to seal the first set.
The second set saw both competitors exchange breaks twice before Rybakina edged ahead in the tie‑break, leveling the match. In the decisive third set, Rybakina secured a pivotal break in the seventh game and held on to clinch what many observers are calling the tournament’s most thrilling encounter. "I’m super happy. It was a very difficult match.
In the first set I made a few mistakes and had a poor start," Rybakina admitted after the win. She added, "It was a really tough one but I’m glad I could turn it around. I’m not entirely sure how I did it, but I think my serve helped me a little." Rybakina’s next opponent will be American sensation Coco Gauff, who advanced to the semi‑finals after receiving a walk‑over when Belinda Bencic withdrew because of a hip injury.
The other semi‑final will feature Iga Swiatek taking on Elina Svitolina, with both players vying for a spot in Thursday’s championship match. The Canadian Open continues to deliver high‑stakes drama on both the ATP and WTA tours, with fans able to follow the action live on Sky Sports or via streaming on NOW and the Sky Sports app. The tournament not only showcases emerging talents like Jodar and Nakashima but also highlights seasoned stars such as Rybakina, Gauff, and Swiatek, each battling for crucial ranking points and momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
Beyond the on‑court battles, the event underscores the growing importance of flexible viewing options. Tennis enthusiasts can now stream matches contract‑free through platforms like NOW, ensuring that the excitement of the sport is accessible to a global audience without the constraints of traditional broadcast packages.
As the week unfolds, the tennis world will watch closely to see whether Jodar can rewrite the record books, whether Rybakina can continue her surge toward a potential world‑number‑one ranking, and how the rest of the field responds to the high‑intensity competition that defines the Canadian Open.