Rafael Jodar, making his debut at Wimbledon, showcased remarkable poise as he faced Pablo Carreño Busta, another Spaniard. Despite trailing two sets to one in a match that resumed after being suspended the previous evening due to fading light, the 19-year-old maintained his composure.
Jodar quickly leveled the match and ultimately secured victory with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, advancing to the third round. “I knew I had to get my body ready for the next day, because obviously I was down,” Jodar stated. He emphasized his belief in his ability to recover, saying, “But I believed in my chances. I believed that I could come back and win the fourth set and then the fifth set. That’s what happened.”
Reflecting on the conditions, Jodar noted, “I started pretty well this morning. I knew the conditions were different, so I had to adapt to that, as well. But for him, it was same. So it’s same conditions for both. I think I did a great job when we stopped the match last night until I stepped on the court this morning.”
Upcoming Match and Grass Court Experience
In the third round, Jodar will clash with Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki, with a potential fourth-round match against defending champion Jannik Sinner looming. This tournament marks not only Jodar’s first Wimbledon appearance but also his initial experience on grass courts, a fact he seems unconcerned about.
“But I believed in my chances. I believed that I could come back and win the fourth set and then the fifth set. That’s what happened. “I started pretty well this morning. I knew the conditions were different, so I had to adapt to that, as well. But for him, it was same. So it’s same conditions for both. I think I did a great job when we stopped the match last night until I stepped on the court this morning.” Jodar explained. “It’s true it’s my first time playing on grass. It wasn’t like that when I started playing on clay this season, because I had already played a lot when I was younger on clay. I just try to adapt. I got a good week of preparation here in Wimbledon the week before starting the tournament, so I’m confident with that. I try to give my best.”
Other Matches and Players’ Progress
Alexander Zverev, the second seed fresh from his first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, defeated France’s Valentin Royer 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Meanwhile, fifth seed Alex de Minaur triumphed over Adrian Mannarino of France with a score of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, and the sixth seed, Taylor Fritz, overcame fellow American Patrick Kipson 6-2, 6-2, 7-5.
With the No. 4 seed, Ben Shelton, eliminated from his section of the draw, De Minaur sees an opportunity. However, he insists that he remains focused solely on his next match against Zachary Svajda of the United States. “You don’t have a lot of time to reset your mind to this new surface,” he remarked. “This sport is unpredictable. It’s not straightforward, so whether you’re ranked higher than your opponent, it really means nothing when you go into the match. You both start the same. It’s just another match.”
Fritz is set to face Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in the third round after navigating challenging conditions early on. “It’s true it’s my first time playing on grass. It wasn’t like that when I started playing on clay this season, because I had already played a lot when I was younger on clay. I just try to adapt. I got a good week of preparation here in Wimbledon the week before starting the tournament, so I’m confident with that. I try to give my best.” he said. “I felt a little nervy because it’s sometimes tough to trust my shots when it’s so windy. I settled into the match well, did a good job returning his serve. I thought I served really well most of the match, outside of just one game. In the end it was just a clean match.”
Italian player Flavio Cobolli, who recently reached his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, fought past Australia’s James Duckworth, winning 7-6 (4), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1. Additionally, Jiri Lehecka from Czechia, Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, and American Marcos Giron also progressed to the third round.
