Madrid
Sinner halts surging Jodar to book Madrid SF spot: ‘He pushed me to the limit’
World No. 1 extends winning streak to 21 matches after passing #NextGenATP test
April 29, 2026
Mutua Madrid Open
Jannik Sinner has now reached at least the semi-finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
By Jerome Coombe
Jannik Sinner was handed the challenge of stopping the ATP Tour’s fastest-rising talent in Rafael Jodar on Wednesday at the Mutua Madrid Open, and the World No. 1 rose to the occasion in clinical fashion.
Amid a vibrant, crackling atmosphere beneath the closed roof of Manolo Santana Stadium, Sinner dug in and found another gear to defeat the 19-year-old Madrid native 6-2, 7-6(0) and secure his place in the semi-finals. With his one-hour, 55-minute victory, in which he saved all seven break points he faced, Sinner stretched his winning streak to 21 matches and completed the set of semi-final appearances across all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.
“He pushed me to the limit,” Sinner said of Jodar. “He’s an incredible player. I tried to be ready as much as I could. But I’m incredibly happy. It was a very high quality match. I got a bit lucky in the second set, but also [had] a bit of experience. I’m obviously very happy to be in the semis here for the first time. It means a lot to me.”
Sinner can now turn his focus to a last-four showdown with Barcelona champion Arthur Fils or Jiri Lehecka. Having lifted the trophy in Paris last November and followed it up with titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo this year, he is aiming to become the first man in history to claim five consecutive Masters 1000 crowns.
After competing at last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals, Jodar began catching attention at the start of the 2026 season. Yet his surge over the past month has been nothing short of meteoric. Having won his maiden ATP Tour title in Marrakech, reached the semi-finals in Barcelona and the quarter-finals in Madrid, Jodar leaves the Spanish capital at No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, having begun the year as the World No. 168.
Jodar may have felt the weight of the moment early in his Madrid debut, but the hometown favourite quickly dispelled any nerves with statement victories over Alex de Minaur — his first Lexus ATP Head2Head win against a Top 10 opponent — and fellow 19-year-old Joao Fonseca. He carried that confidence into the opening stages of his clash with Sinner, unleashing a flurry of dazzling forehand winners in a tightly contested start.
With current and former Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham, Thibaut Courtois and Raul packed into the VIP boxes courtside in Manolo Santana Stadium, Jodar and Sinner exchanged ferocious blows from the baseline. Yet it was Sinner, the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who asserted his trademark composure and consistency, winning three of the four rallies that exceeded nine shots in the opening set to pull ahead.
Although Jodar continued to flash the brilliance he is capable of in the second set, Sinner remained unflustered and came up clutch when it mattered most to deny any sort of momentum shift. The 24-year-old Italian saved all five break points he faced in the set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, on his way to a commanding win over Jodar, whom he had labelled ‘very talented’ ahead of their encounter.
