Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar is on course to break the record for the fastest rise into the top 10 of men’s tennis after beating Arthur Filis in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open.
Jodar came out on top in a rain-affected contest on Tuesday to win 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to ensure he will move up to at least 11th in the ATP rankings, having started the year in 165th.
The 19-year-old will face American Brandon Nakashima in the semi-finals on Wednesday night, live on Sky Sports Tennis, where victory could see him smash Boris Becker’s current record of 210 days to go from breaking the top 100 to being in the top 10. Jodar would do it in just 140 days.
However, Jodar also requires defending Canadian Open champion Ben Shelton to lose to Learner Tien in the other semi-final.
Shelton, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, swept out Jakub MensÃk in straight sets 6-3 6-1 in 72 minutes and is yet to drop a set in this tournament.
Ben Shelton is the defending Canadian Open champion (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Should Jodar and Shelton meet in Thursday’s final, a win for Jodar would also see him move into the top 10 and make history.
“I played a very high level against a tough player like Arthur,” said Jodar after beating Filis.
“I had to give my best to win this match. It worked perfectly, staying calm in those important moments of the match, those pressure moments.”
Rafael Jodar (left) reached the quarter-finals at the French Open earlier this year (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
Rybakina battles back to beat Osaka
Elena Rybakina rallied back after losing the opening set to defeat 11th-seed Naomi Osaka 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 and advance to the semi-finals of the WTA Canadian Open in Toronto.
Osaka came flying out of the blocks by breaking in the opening game which was enough to win the first set, before both players twice exchanged breaks in the second which Rybakina won on a tie-break.
The Kazakh made the decisive break in the seventh game of the last set and went on to win arguably the match of the tournament.
Elena Rybakina would be just four ranking points behind Aryna Sabalenka if she wins the Montreal title (Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire/AP)
“Super happy. It was a very difficult match. In the first set [I made] a few mistakes, a poor start,” said Rybakina, who could overtake Aryna Sabalenka as world No 1 later this month.
“It was a really tough one but I’m glad I could turn it around, I don’t yet know how, but I think my serve helped me a little bit.”
Rybakina will play Coco Gauff in the semi-finals after the American received a walkover in her quarter-final when her opponent Belinda Bencic withdrew due to a hip injury.
The other semi-final sees Iga Swiatek take on Elina Svitolina for a place in Thursday’s final.
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