Rafael Jódar defeats Denis Shapovalov in Cincinnati comeback

Spanish tennis prodigy Rafael Jódar secured a dramatic victory against Denis Shapovalov in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters 1000. After falling behind 1-5 in the third set and facing two match points, the 19-year-old, currently ranked 11th in the world, won six consecutive games to finish the match 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

The match was marked by tension following two interruptions caused by Jódar’s broken shoelaces. Shapovalov expressed frustration over the delays, accusing the Spaniard of using the pauses to drink water, leading to a heated exchange at the net after the match. Jódar later apologized for the situation.

Following this win, Jódar advances to the third round, where he is scheduled to face Alejandro Tabilo. This victory continues a highly successful North American hard-court swing for Jódar, who recently reached the semifinals in Montreal and the final in Washington.