By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, October 17, 2026
Photo credit: Screen Shot
A Shanghai final feast will pop with Spanish spice tomorrow.
Twenty-year-old phenom Rafael Jodar deconstructed Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4, roaring into his maiden ATP Masters 1000 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
The victory vaults Jodar to No. 11 in the ATP Live Rankings—and into an all-Spanish final against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
“I’m happy how the season and how the tournament is going for me and that’s it,” Jodar told the media in Shanghai. “I think I’m having the right mentality, and I am playing good here in Shanghai. I think all the matches that I played in the past rounds have helped me to have the shape, you know, that I have right now, and that’s very important.
“There’s still one more match, I’ll try to have the same mentality as I had these past matches.”
It will be the first all-Spanish ATP Masters 1000 final in nine years—since Rafael Nadal defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas in an all-lefty 2017 Monte-Carlo final—and ninth ATP Masters 1000 final between Spaniards. Jodar, the second-youngest man to post 20 ATP Masters 1000 wins in a season after Nadal, 19, in 2005, plays for his second title of the year in his first clash vs. Davidovich Fokina.
“It will be another tough game as every match that I played here,” Jodar said. “So I’ll try tor get ready as best as possible.
“I need my best tomorrow.”
Earlier, a dynamic Davidovich Fokina toppled Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to advance to his eighth career final at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
Elevating his level of play in each set, Davidovich Fokina won 20 of 23 points played on his serve in the final set to beat Zverev for the first time since the 2023 Toronto.
Hangzhou champion Medvedev carried an 11-1 record in China this season into his first meeting with Jodar.
Played amid a curtain of heavy humidity, the pair engaged in some crackling and extended exchanges. Ultimately, Jodar’s superior serving under pressure—he served 69 percent and smacked six aces—and his skill driving the ball down the line proved pivotal.
“It was a very tough match,” Jodar said. “In the first set, all the games were very close. Break points for him, break points for me…
“Also how I returned and served [were key]. I think he played great today so I had to be at my best level to beat him.”
Jodar scored his biggest career win, by ranking, for his third final of the season and he did it deconstructing the 2019 champion.
Hitting deep drives down the middle, the Spaniard dared Medvedev to change direction. The former No. 1 did and missed a backhand down the line to face double break point.
On the next point, Medvedev again tried to change direction with a running forehand down the line, but netted it. Jodar scored first break blood for 3-1 after 25 minutes of play.
The world No. 13 saved three break points, including bunting a forehand drop shot winner, but netted a forehand approach to face a fourth break point. Catching up to a drop volley, a streaking Medvedev drilled a pass straight through the middle breaking back with an apologetic hand wave after the near body blow.
Paying the price for a crosscourt approach, Medvedev was burned by a Jodar backhand down the line to fall into another break point hole. When Medvedev scattered a backhand, Jodar had his second straight break and a 4-2 lead after 36 minutes of play.
The pair went toe-to-toe in some physically-punishing rallies that sometimes exceeded 20 shots. Those baseline battles left the lanky Russian looking worse for wear and tear. At one point, Medvedev, in an apparent stall for recovery time, asked the chair umpire to see a replay of the last shot or “I’m not leaving.” Medvedev got the replay eventually and Jodar thumped a serve winner shortly later holding for 5-2.
Power and poise are two reasons Jodar has built this breakout season. He showed both assets serving out the first set.
Jodar blew three set points, including netting a backhand and netting a double fault on the second set point; he came right back firing a forehand for a fourth set point. Medvedev wristed the slice forehand inducing an error to save it.
Slamming his fourth ace brought Jodar a fifth set point and this time he converted, whipping the wide serve for a one-set lead after 56 minutes.
Both men left the court after a demanding opener with Jodar taking an off-court medical timeout.
When play resumed, Jodar applied more misery to Medvedev. Hammering a backhand for a break point, Jodar rattled out an errant forehand pass scoring his third break to start the second set.
Though he looked depleted, Medvedev dug in and tapped into more energy. Medvedev coaxed a netted forehand to break back and stamped a second straight love, hooking a subtle, sharp-angled backhand, to hold for a 3-2 lead.
All that good work Medvedev did dissipated in a horrific seventh game.
Quick off the mark, Jodar ran down a tame drop shot and torched a pass for triple break point. Medvedev double-faulted away the love break as a sweat-soaked Jodar led 4-3.
The 12th-seeded Spaniard not only has a knack for the big strike on pivotal points—he’s often fearless taking it.
Slamming his sixth ace down the T, Jodar quelled a Medvedev threat holding for 5-3.
In a wild ninth game, Medvedev fought off three match points and his own miscues. Medvedev hit perhaps his worst drop shot of the season, a double fault that forced him to face a third match point, but he saved it with a volley winner. Medvedev laced a second serve ace that helped him hold and force the 20-year-old to serve out his spot in the final.
Ripping a flashy running forehand pass down the line, Jodar closed an impressive one hour, 44-minute win on his fourth match point.
0 comments