Rafa Jódar mounts incredible comeback, will face Alejandro Tabilo in Cincinnati
Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Rafa Jódar achieved a remarkable comeback victory in the Cincinnati Masters 1000 tournament, advancing to the third round.
- He defeated Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 after trailing 1-5 in the final set and saving two match points.
- Jódar will face Alejandro Tabilo in the next round, a rematch of their previous encounters this season.
Rafa Jódar staged a spectacular comeback at the Cincinnati Masters 1000, advancing to the third round where he will meet Chilean player Alejandro Tabilo. The Spanish world number 11 defeated Canada's Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 in a match that seemed lost when Jódar trailed 1-5 in the third set.
Jódar even required medical attention for discomfort in his left leg but managed to break Shapovalov's serve twice, save two match points, and win six consecutive games to complete the stunning turnaround. The match also saw moments of tension related to Jódar's shoes. He twice interrupted play and, at 3-5 in the third set, needed his father's assistance to repair one of them, which visibly angered Shapovalov.
Let your actions speak louder than any lie, let your peace be worth more than any judgment. I love you too much.
This victory sets up a third career meeting between Jódar and Tabilo, with their head-to-head record currently tied at 1-1. Tabilo, ranked 29th in the ATP rankings, won their first encounter in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters 1000 convincingly, 6-1, 6-2. Jódar later secured revenge in the semifinals of Washington, winning in three sets.
Currently, the 19-year-old Spaniard has a season record of 34 wins and 13 losses, while Tabilo has accumulated 22 victories and 20 defeats. Jódar has won one title this year, whereas Tabilo boasts three ATP trophies throughout his career. After completing his comeback, Jódar apologized to his opponent and secured his place to face Alejandro Tabilo again, this time for a spot in the next round of the Cincinnati Masters 1000.
As is evident, this decision is political, rather political and propagandistic, Hitler-style, as there is no reason to justify such an arrogant procedure.
Originally published by Cooperativa in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.