Madrid
Jodar edges Fonseca in Madrid blockbuster
Spanish wild card continues dream run on home soil
April 26, 2026
Thomas COEX / AFP via Getty Images
Rafael Jodar is into his first ATP Masters 1000 fourth round.
By Grant Thompson
Rafael Jodar defeated Joao Fonseca on Sunday at the Mutua Madrid Open, winning the first chapter in what promises to be a thrilling rivalry for years to come.
The 19-year-old Jodar overcame the 27th seed 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1 in the highly anticipated third-round clash featuring the only teenagers inside the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings.
“A very tough match,” said Jodar, who in the second round earned his first Top 10 win by upsetting Alex de Minaur. “Joao is always a very tough player, so these matches are decided by very small details and various small points. I think I did a great job in those points, trying to play my game.”
Jodar became the eighth teenager to reach the Round of 16 in Madrid tournament history, a list that includes his countryman Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
From the outset, a raucous Madrid crowd roared as both players unleashed large cuts at the ball. The margins were razor-thin throughout the first set, with 80 points played and each player winning 40. However, Fonseca opened the tie-break with three forehand errors, a deficit he could not recover from.
The Brazilian responded by breaking Jodar’s serve in the opening game of the second set and nailing a jaw-dropping forehand pass in the third game. Fonseca sharpened his serving performance while both players battled for early control in rallies. The late-night clash was defined by highlight-reel shotmaking and a constant battle to gain authority in baseline exchanges.
Jodar struck first in the decider by earning an early break and eventually stretching his lead to 5-0. A frustrated Fonseca smashed his racquet after the second game. The Spanish wild card produced a high level throughout the third set to reach the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time.
Fonseca, also 19 years old, produced moments of brilliance when able to dictate with his forehand, although Jodar countered with more sustained, all-court baseline power without dropping in consistency.
“I’m very, very happy with my level,” Jodar said. “I’ll just try to recover well and think about the next match.”
Up next for Jodar is Vit Kopriva, who advanced after his opponent Arthur Rinderknech retired before they began a deciding set. Rinderknech was not able to continue due to a left calf injury. Looming in the quarter-finals is a potential meeting with World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
Up eight places to No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, Jodar has begun his clay-court swing by winning 11 of his first 12 matches on the surface. Earlier this month, he claimed his maiden ATP Tour trophy in Marrakech.
Jodar turned pro at the start of this season after representing the University of Virginia across 2024 and 2025. The Madrid native won three ATP Challenger titles in 2025 and qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals. Last year at this time, Jodar was No. 687 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
REMARKABLE RAFA 🔥#MMOpen pic.twitter.com/zjz2oOVQKU
— ATP Tour (@atptour) April 26, 2026
