Rafael Jodar defeated Daniil Medvedev, 6-3, 6-4, in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals.
The scoreline suggests it was a relatively straightforward win for Jodar, but there was plenty of controversy along the way. During the second set, Medvedev threatened to retire from the match, demanding a video review.
Jodar remained calm as Medvedev unravelled, securing the win and his place in a maiden Masters 1000 final. After the match, Jodar delivered his verdict on Medvedev’s level.
Rafael Jodar says Daniil Medvedev played ‘great’ in their Shanghai Masters semi-final
“It was a very tough match. In the first set, all of the games were very close, with break points for him and break points for me. So yeah, super happy with how I handled the important moments in the first set and then also how I returned and served. Daniil is always a very tough player; I think he played great today, so I had to give my best level to beat him,” said Jodar during his post-match interview.
Jodar believes Medvedev played well, but in reality, the Spaniard outclassed the former world number one in Shanghai. Jodar produced an 8.9 performance rating in the semi-finals, while Medvedev scored a 7.8.
Rafael Jodar vs Daniil Medvedev – Match stats
| Stats | Rafael Jodar | Daniil Medvedev |
| Performance rating | 8.9 | 7.8 |
| Serve quality | 8.1 | 7.6 |
| Unreturned serve % | 28% | 30% |
| First serve % | 69% | 56% |
| First serve win % | 66% | 64% |
| Second serve win % | 46% | 41% |
| Second serve average speed | 151 | 174 |
| Return quality | 7.7 | 7.4 |
| Break points won | 4/7 | 2/6 |
| Forehand winners | 9 | 6 |
| Backhand winners | 7 | 5 |
| Forehand unforced errors | 10 | 10 |
| Backhand unforced errors | 10 | 7 |
| Forced errors | 24 | 30 |
| Net points won | 6/8 | 8/15 |
| Baseline points won | 33 | 36 |
| Points won under nine shots | 62 | 49 |
| Points won over nine shots | 11 | 12 |
Defeating Medvedev, Jodar secured his place in his first Masters 1000 final, where he will face his countryman, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who defeated Alexander Zverev in the earlier semi-final.
“It will be another tough game, as every match I’ve played here is. I’ll try to get ready in the best shape possible and give my best tomorrow,” said Jodar.
Rafael Jodar’s route to the Shanghai Masters final
- 2R [WIN] vs Thiago Agustin Tirante, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
- 3R [WIN] vs Jiri Lehecka, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4
- 4R [WIN] vs Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
- QF [WIN] vs Casper Ruud, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
- SF [WIN] vs Daniil Medvedev, 6-3, 6-4
Jodar will walk onto the court as the favourite to beat Davidovich Fokina in the final, for several reasons…
Why Rafael Jodar is the favourite to win the Shanghai Masters
It’s fair to say Jodar has enjoyed a better season than Davidovich Fokina. The 20-year-old reached a Grand Slam quarter-final and is currently in position to qualify for the ATP Finals.
But that’s not the main reason why he has the edge over his countryman. Davidovich Fokina is immensely talented, but his finals record leaves a lot to be desired. The Spaniard is 2-5 in ATP Tour finals, only winning his first two recently, both against lower-ranked opposition.
Jodar, on the other hand, is 1-1 in finals and doesn’t have that same scar tissue as Davidovich Fokina. Whether that will play a role in the outcome of their Shanghai Masters remains to be seen, although it’s certainly something to keep in mind.
The Spaniards will battle it out for the Shanghai Masters title on Sunday, October 18. Neither player has won a Masters 1000 title before and will look to become the 16th Spanish champion at this level.
