How Rafael Jodar’s Madrid loss to Jannik Sinner could shape his future

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Jannik Sinner advanced to the semi-finals of the Madrid Open, beating Rafael Jodar 6-2, 7-6.

Jodar had moments in the second set where it looked like he might push Sinner into a decider.

The result was no surprise, but Jodar did have spells where he put real pressure on Sinner, especially in the second set.

Colin Fleming thinks Rafael Jodar will be even more ‘motivated’ after playing Jannik Sinner

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Fleming liked what he saw from Jodar, saying he played well despite the loss to Sinner.

“I thought it was actually a really positive match for him,” he said.

“As Marion [Bartoli] said pre-match, if he’d lost 6-1, 6-1, and not really been close, it can actually have a detrimental effect, thinking ‘that’s so far away’, but now he’s almost tasted it, so close to winning the second set, I think his motivation will just be even higher.”

He went on to say that Jodar’s game held up better than he expected once seeing him play in person.

“I thought his game maybe stood up better than I expected, seeing him up close and personal. His serve is maybe better than I thought. He’s got a lot of pop on the serve. The groundstrokes are massive,” Fleming continued.

Bartoli was equally impressed with Jodar’s showing at Manolo Santana. While she stopped short of calling him “the next Nadal”, she still had some praise for the young Spaniard.

Bartoli felt the first set started slipping away from Jodar after an even start against Sinner but praised his ability to respond in front of a supportive home crowd:

The Italian is aiming for another Masters 1000 crown and is already halfway through another unbeaten clay season.

Sinner pulled off three clean winners on break points at 4-4 and reached for something extra during key moments. That tiebreak included five straight points before closing out a tight match.

Looking ahead: Sinner and Jodar move forward after Madrid meeting

Next up for Sinner is a semi-final clash with Arthur Fils, who remains unbeaten on clay this season after picking up the title in Barcelona.

Fils hasn’t lost a match on clay so far this season, having won the title in Barcelona before making his way to Madrid. Their only previous meeting came three years ago in Montpellier, where Sinner came out on top.

Their only previous meeting came three years ago in Montpellier, where Sinner came out on top.

Jodar, meanwhile, will turn his attention to Rome and the Italian Open. The tournament is scheduled to start on Tuesday 5th May 2026.

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