Do it like Rafa! Jodar joins legend Rafael Nadal in exclusive list with Italian Open feat
(Courtesy : @rafa.jodarr/Instagram)
Jodar has now advanced to second straight Masters quarter-final.
Rafael Jodar has emulated illustrious countryman Rafael Nadal on Italian Clay. The Spaniard, 19, is just the second teenager to reach the quarter-finals of Madrid and Rome in the same season after Nadal in 2005.
Jodar overcame American Learner Tien 6-1, 6-4 in 75 minutes to set up a last-eight clash with Luciano Darderi, who downed two-time champ Alexander Zverev 1-6, 7-6(10), 6-0 to set up a maiden clash with the Spaniard.
It is Darderi’s first ATP 1000 quarter-final, making him the first Italian to make the last eight since Andrea Gaudenzi in 1994. He saved four match points en route to victory over the No. 2 seed, earning his first Top 10 win.
Jodar will target his maiden semi-final appearance at a Masters 1000 semi-final when he takes on Darderi on Wednesday. The Madrid native now leads Tien 2-0 in their head-to-head. It was their first meeting since the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals.
The young Spaniard also equalled the record of Serbian legend Novak Djokovic. Jodar is the first teenager to reach the quarter-finals in Rome since Djokovic in 2007. Jodar’s milestone has made him the youngest Rome quarter-finalist in 21 years.
Jodar is enjoying a dream run in the 2026 clay-court swing. He lifted the title in Marrakech and followed it up by making the last four in Barcelona and the last eight in Madrid.
He gave World No. 1 Jannik Sinner something to think about in Madrid, despite a 6-2, 7-6(0) loss to the Italian.
Ranked No. 686 last May, Jodar’s meteoric rise will see him contest his maiden French Open as a seeded player. He will make his Top 30 debut on Monday at No. 29 in the ATP Rankings, one spot ahead of fellow teenager Joao Fonseca.
Who did Rafael Jodar defeat to reach Italian Open 2026 quarter-finals?
He saw-off USA’s Learner Tien in straight sets (6-1, 6-4) to reach the last eight stage.
How did Rafael Jodar emulate Nadal at Italian Open 2026?
By reaching the quarters, the 19-year-old Jodar has now become only the second teenager to reach the quarter-finals of both Madrid and Rome in the same season after Nadal in 2005.
What other records did Rafael Jodar set by reaching the quarters of Italian Open 2026?
Jodar also equalled the record of Serbian legend Novak Djokovic, becoming the first teenager to reach this stage in Rome since the Serbian in 2007. It makes him the youngest quarter-finalist at Rome in 21 years.
Who will Rafael Jodar face in the quarter-finals of Italian Open 2026?
The Spaniard will face home player Luciano Darderi for a place in the semis.
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Meet Fazeel—a bibliophile and sci-fi aficionado who devours books and movies alike. His favorite form of exercise? Watching tennis from a perfectly positioned couch. Whether he's lost in a gripping novel or absorbed in a five-hour Grand Slam final, he's all in. Favorite quote: “You cannot be serious” – John McEnroe.