Jódar's comeback victory against Ruud: he gets into the semifinals of Shanghai

Rafa Jódar reached the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters 1000 after defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud in a tightly contested match. The Spanish player had to overcome a deficit in the first set (4-6) before winning the subsequent two sets (6-4 and 6-3). This victory marks Jódar's second appearance in the semifinals of a Masters 1000 tournament, following his previous run at the Canadian Open, where he narrowly missed reaching the final. The match against Ruud was particularly challenging for Jódar, who faced multiple opportunities to break Ruud’s serve but failed to capitalize on them early in the match. Despite this, he managed to regain control in the second set, eventually equalizing the score and securing the win. His ability to bounce back from setbacks has been a recurring theme throughout the tournament. Jódar, the youngest player in history to reach the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters 1000, will now face either Russian Daniil Medvedev or American Tommy Paul in the semifinals. He joins fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the semifinals, offering two chances for a Spanish finalist in the tournament, which has yet to have a Spanish champion in its history. In post-match comments, Jódar acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating that it was not easy to defeat Ruud, especially given the need to go into a third set for the fourth consecutive match. He emphasized the importance of focusing on each game individually and maintaining his playing style, regardless of the opponent's level. The Spanish duo, Jódar and Davidovich Fokina, now guarantee two potential Spanish finalists in the Shanghai Masters 1000, a feat previously unmatched in the tournament's history. Their performances highlight the growing strength of Spanish tennis on the international stage.