Key Takeaways
- Rafael Jodar defeated Casper Ruud 4-6 6-4 6-3 to progress to the semifinals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
- The victory represented Jodar’s fourth comeback win from a set down during the tournament week.
- Jodar advanced to another Masters 1000 semifinal during his debut full season on the tour.
Another comeback win puts Rafael Jodar into final four
Rafael Jodar secured his spot in the semifinals of the Rolex Shanghai Masters after pulling off another comeback victory, defeating Casper Ruud 4-6 6-4 6-3 in their quarterfinal clash. The result marked the fourth time during the tournament week that Jodar fought back after dropping the opening set.
Reflecting on the contest immediately after his win, Jodar acknowledged how tight the battle was from the start. He noted that he felt positive on the court despite missing opportunities during Ruud’s service games early on. The Spaniard explained that his opponent handled the critical moments in the first set sharper than he did, which forced him to dig deep to reverse the momentum.
Jodar highlighted the physical and mental effort required to turn the match around, stating, “it was a very tough game, so I had to give my best level today to win this match.”
Strong debut season continues on ATP Tour
The quarterfinal triumph propelled Jodar into another Masters 1000 semifinal during what is his first full season competing on the professional tour. Rather than being satisfied solely with his rapid progress, Jodar stressed that he remains focused on development and continuous improvement.
Addressing his campaign and future outlook, Jodar expressed immense satisfaction with how his year has unfolded while emphasizing that room for development remains. He mentioned that recognizing areas where he can improve is encouraging because it shows his potential to develop into an even stronger competitor down the road.
With only a few events left on the calendar, Jodar affirmed his commitment to finishing the year strongly, keeping his sights set on maximizing his performance across his remaining fixtures before turning toward future challenges.
Casper Ruud in 2026
Ranked world no.24, Ruud played his last match on the 16th of October when he was defeated by world no.13 Rafael Jodar 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the quarter in Shanghai (draw).
At the moment, during this season Casper has managed to achieve a composed 31-19 match record. Casper Ruud’s most significant achievement of the current season was getting to the semifinal in Rome.
ATP Shanghai - Rafael Jodar's projected path
Rafael Jodar in 2026
Ranked world no.13, the Spaniard played his last match on the 16th of October when he beat world no.24 Casper Ruud 4-6 6-4 6-3 in the quarter in Shanghai (draw).
During this season the Spaniard has managed to achieve a compiled 56-17 win-loss record. Jodar conquered 1 title in Marrakech.
Casper Ruud and Rafael Jodar squared off only on 1 occasion. Their head to head is 1-0 for Jodar.
