"I’m really excited and looking forward to playing him" - Rafael Jodar reacts to Jannik Sinner speaking highly of him ahead of quarterfinal clash

The rise of Rafael Jodar continues in fine form at the Madrid Open. On home soil, he has stormed to the quarterfinal stage after defeating Vit Kopriva 7-5, 6-0. Now a very popular man in Spain, he will continue to be backed by his home support ahead of a highly anticipated clash against Jannik Sinner.

That possibility was noted before his last-16 match, but he remained fixed on the task at hand knowing it would be hard work. The first set was with Kopriva enjoying the first chances. These were not taken, and Jodar pounced. He won the final eight games of the match, breaking late in the first set before bageling the Czech to conclude a fine showing.

After the match, he spoke to the media after another significant victory. "I’m super, super happy. It was a tough match—you know, everyone here plays very well—so I had to give my best to win. I’m very happy with my performance."

Jodar has already made a huge impression on the ATP Tour despite his short spell. He picked up the Grand Prix Hassan II title while climbing into the top 50 in the world for the first time. This stark rise has no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Now into a maiden Masters 1000 quarterfinal, he has jumped up to 34th in the world in the live rankings. Another win and he will rise into the top 30.

With seemingly a whole country watching and cheering his every move, the Spaniard was under a lot of pressure to perform on the biggest stage. "I think it’s about going step by step, match by match. That’s the most important thing—living in the present and trying to give your best in the match you’re playing. There are times when you’re not going to play that well, but in those moments it’s important to keep the same mentality as when you are playing well. I think that’s something I do pretty well."

Not just in real life and at the facilities, but on social media Jodar is receiving a lot of attention. "I try not to look at social media too much. Of course, I talk with friends and family on my phone, but I try to stay focused on what I have to do, which is play tennis," he said.

"I try to stay a bit removed from everything around the tournament. When I have free time, I like talking to friends and family—especially here in Madrid—but mostly I take it day by day and use my free time to recover."

The reward for a hard week's work: the chance to test his skills against the world number one Sinner. The Italian is currently on a 20-match winning streak in 2026, and has not lost at Masters 1000 level since the Shanghai Masters. He is utterly dominant on the ATP Tour at this current moment in time and will fancy his chances of securing another Masters 1000 title.

After his win over Cameron Norrie, Sinner was quizzed about the talented Spaniard, saying that he has watched some of his matches while speaking very highly of him. This was a very special moment for Jodar. "Well, Jannik is a great player, so it will be a really good match tomorrow. I’m really excited and looking forward to playing him for the first time here in my hometown. It’s very exciting."

There was so much to admire about the four-time Grand Slam champion. "I think he’s a great player overall," he detailed. "You can see that in every match—he’s always very focused and has a great mentality. That helps him a lot. And obviously, he has a great forehand and backhand. Overall, he’s a great player, so if I want to do well tomorrow, I’ll have to give my best."

It will be a different prospect to anyone else he has faced before in his tennis career. Preparation will be key. "It’s a very tough match. I’ll try to give my best and learn a lot from it, with the same mentality I’ve had in previous matches. I believe I’ll have my chances if I do things right."

He will not be changing from his usual routine, sticking to the basics. "We follow the same routine every day, which works well. Of course, we analyse the opponent a bit, but I think the most important thing is to feel good on the court and give your best with what you have that day. Some days things won’t go perfectly, but you have to keep the same mentality and compete."

The possibility of defeating Sinner was a hugely tantalising one, but he is not thinking of that possible prospect yet. "I’ll go point by point," he admitted. "There’s still a lot to do before thinking about that. If I do things right, have a good mentality, and play good tennis, maybe the opportunities will come. But you have to do everything very well and stay focused on your own game."