Spanish player Rafa Jódar qualified this Tuesday in Canada for the semifinals of a Masters 1000 for the first time after defeating Frenchman Arthur Fils for the second time in two weeks, a victory that temporarily moves him up to 11th in the world. Jódar, officially ATP No. 15, defeated Fils (No. 24) 7-6(5) and 6-3 in 1 hour and 42 minutes. In the semifinals, he will face American Brandon Nakashima (No. 31), who also defeated Italian-Argentine Luciano Darderi (No. 22) this Tuesday by 6-2 and 6-3. For Jódar, Montreal will be the fourth semifinal of the year, his debut year on the circuit, after Marrakech (champion), Barcelona, and Washington (finalist).
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Moreover, the victory over Fils not only puts Jódar on the doorstep of the ‘Top 10’, currently closed by American Ben Shelton, but also fully involves him in the fight for the ATP Finals, where he temporarily rises to sixth place. Jódar would be the first debutant on the circuit to qualify for the ATP Finals if he secures the ticket to Turin in November.
This Tuesday was the third time Jódar and Fils crossed paths this year. The Frenchman won the first encounter, in the semifinals of the Godó, but the Madrid native settled the score exactly two weeks ago in Washington. The match quickly turned very favorable for Jódar. The Spaniard broke Fils’ first game and went up 3-0. The Madrid player had a sweep in his hands with five break points in the next two games of Fils, but the Frenchman saved all the points, one after another. Growing in confidence, Fils recovered the break in the seventh game of the set to go down 4-3, which he consolidated with his serve after a nearly one-hour rain delay.
In the tie-break, Jódar earned a mini-break on the third point, enough advantage to win the tiebreak 7-5 on his third set point, the first with his serve. Jódar earned another early break in the second set, which he closed with a spectacular cross volley. Fils, frustrated, smashed his racket. But the Frenchman recovered the break in the next game, leveling the score at 2-2. However, in the seventh game, the Madrid player broke again, to love, for 4-3 and this time consolidated the break with his serve to go up 5-3. On return, Jódar wasted three match points before sealing his passage to the semifinals on the fourth.
