Rafael Jodar in outburst at ball kid during Shanghai Masters tie, receives unsportsmanlike conduct violation

Wednesday, 14 October 2026 at 15:53

Rafael Jodar at Roland Garros 2026 looking happy

Rafael Jodar completed a three-set comeback win over Botic van de Zandschulp, but it wasn't without controversy at the Shanghai Masters, as he received a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct after snapping at a ball kid to hand over a towel.

The 20-year-old managed to rally and complete a three-set comeback win from there, but it highlights the tempestuous nature of the Spaniard who has often received criticism for incidents such as this.

The win, though, put him into the quarter-finals and sent him into 11th in the race for the season-ending championships. One that could still bear fruit, his end due to the fact that Jannik Sinner will not play in Turin.

Jodar's irritation grew after he dropped the opening set to Botic van de Zandschulp; he failed to convert two break points in the first game of the second set and said, 'Give me the damn towel right now.' This prompted the chair umpire to issue a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Rafael Jodar given an unsportsmanlike conduct warning earlier today in Shanghai for mistreating the ball boys… Via @gerebit0 https://t.co/8Y8Ni5IG2S
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) October 14, 2026

History of incidents for Jodar

Jodar contested it, but the umpire stood firm. The intervention saw Jodar change as he remained calmer, knowing that if he got reprimanded further, it would bring him issues later on. The reset paid dividends as he converted his third break chance in the opening game and held off a second set fight back to win the second. He dominated the decider with a double break and secured a 6-2 victory.

He now faces Casper Ruud, who won through after Felix Auger-Aliassime was forced to retire. Jodar has already received criticism at junctures during this year. He collided with a ball girl while returning from a bathroom break, supposedly, which caused an uproar. But the replays showed no contact anyway.

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He also didn't acknowledge a ball girl who retrieved his dropped racket, while in Washington he drew attention for glaring at an attendant who struck him with a tennis ball accidentally. So he certainly does have form for this.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

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