Spanish player Rafa Jódar gave Czech Jiri Lehecka no chance this Saturday in Canada and qualified for the quarterfinals of a Masters 1,000 for the third consecutive time, after doing so also in Madrid and Rome. Jódar, ranked 15th in the world, defeated Lehecka 6-3, 6-3 in 1 hour and 14 minutes. In the quarterfinals, this coming Monday, the Spaniard will face the winner of the match between French Arthur Fils (no. 24) and British Cameron Norrie (no. 37). The Madrid native has reached at least the quarterfinals in seven of the last eight tournaments he has played since April, with the only exception being Wimbledon.
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After Lehecka’s elimination, Jódar is the second highest-ranked player still alive in Canada, only behind American Ben Shelton, world number 10 and defending champion. Jódar started the match very sharp on serve. The Madrid player won 100% of his points on the first serve and 70% on the second. In total, 20 of 23 points during the first set. He only needed Lehecka to have a bad service game, which happened in the eighth game of the match. Jódar, on the return, took it to deuce, which was first resolved with a double fault from the Czech and then with a ball into the net.
With 5-3 in his favor, Jódar only had to hold serve to take the first set. The second set started with a clean break by Jódar, a show of authority to stop any kind of reaction from Lehecka. The Madrid player added another break in the seventh game, for 5-2, on his fourth break point after the Czech saved a 0-40. Again serving to close the set—and the match—this time his hand trembled and he gave up a break, with a double fault on the decisive point.
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But Jódar lifted his head and showed in the next game that the break was nothing more than an accident and closed, this time for sure, the set and the match on the return. The Spaniard closed the second set with 52% of points won on Lehecka’s first serve and 58% on the second. “I have played many matches, both last week in Washington and this one, I have already played three, but I am feeling very confident, I am recovering very well,” Jódar said after his qualification.