Rafael Jodar matches record set by Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz with storming Montreal Open run
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Published 07/08/2026 at 08:45 GMT+1
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The rise of Rafael Jodar has been getting the tennis world excited for a while now, and the Spaniard’s latest feat saw him join some illustrious company. By reaching the fourth round in Montreal, he achieved something only a handful of players have previously pulled off.
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Jodar moved into the fourth round of the National Bank Open by beating Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-3 on Thursday.
It was the Spanish sensation’s second win over the world No. 13 in just a week, after beating him in the Washington quarter-finals too.
Musetti is not the first, and will certainly not be the last player to fall at the hands of the talented 19-year-old, who equalled an eye-catching record by setting up a last 16 clash with eighth seed Jiri Lehecka from the Czech Republic.
According to Opta, Jodar is just the fifth teenager in the last 20 years to have qualified for the last 16 at three or more consecutive ATP Masters 1000 events, after reaching the quarter-finals in Rome and Madrid during the clay swing.
The others include some of the biggest icons to have played the game - Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Murray and Denis Shapovalov.
According to the ATP, Jodar also became just the second teenager to reach the fourth round in Montreal this decade, following American Learner Tien’s run last year.
The Spaniard, who will turn 20 in September, is targeting his second title of the season after winning in Marrakech for his career-first ATP crown earlier this year.
He made it all the way to the Washington final last week before falling to American Taylor Fritz, a run that saw him rise to a career-high No. 15 in the ATP rankings.
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The draw in Montreal has been blown wide open by seven of the top 10 seeds suffering early elimination.
Jodar faces Lehecka next, with the winner taking on Briton Cameron Norrie or France's Arthur Fils in the last eight.
"I think I did a great job in the return game," Jodar said after his win over Musetti.
"Generally, I played very solid, trying to attack when I could. Lorenzo is a top player, so I knew I had to play pressure moments well. So I am super happy with my performance today."
Norrie finds 'crazy level' in epic comeback
Norrie sealed his place in the fourth round in spectacular style by producing a brilliant fightback to beat Australia's Alex De Minaur.
Norrie looked dead and buried when he found himself 5-7 2-5 down in the second set, but dug in and won 11 of the next 13 games, saving match point along the way, to complete a stunning 5-7 7-6 (5) 6-1 win in almost three hours on court.
”The level was so high the first two sets,” Norrie said. ”From the beginning, [Alex] came out firing and I was like, ‘Woah, this is a crazy level’, and I had to match it.
”I managed to go up a break [in the first set], but he stayed really tough and I know he’s so tough as a competitor and stole that first set.
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”He was looking good in the second set and I think he took the foot off the gas very slightly and I managed to free up, steal the tie-break and then it was just a battle.
”I was just trying to play point for point. No time to think. I just stayed point for point and I managed to win 6-1. It was a great match to win and to test my level, and I can take so much confidence from this one.”
Norrie appears to have found some form on the hard courts after disappointing exits in his opening matches at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon.
He went on a run to the semi-finals in Los Cabos last week before suffering defeat to Shapovalov, and will now face Fils for a place in Montreal.
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