Jannik Sinner defeated Rafael Jodar 6-2, 7-6 (0) to reach the semifinals at the Madrid Open, closing out the match by taking the final 11 points. The top seed required one hour and 56 minutes on Manolo Santana Stadium to dispatch the Spanish teenager in their first tour-level meeting.

The world No. 1 entered the quarterfinal on a 20-match winning streak and fresh from consecutive Masters-level success at the BNP Paribas Open, Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters. With Carlos Alcaraz ruled out of the remaining clay-court events, including Roland Garros, because of a wrist injury, the burden on Sinner to maintain momentum has been heightened as he chases further major and Masters honours. He still lacks titles in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros on his résumé and has been unbeaten on clay this season.

Nineteen-year-old Jodar offered a lively challenge after arriving in Madrid as a wild card. The Spaniard, fresh off his first ATP title in Marrakech earlier this month, had recorded back-to-back upsets over No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur and No. 27 seed Joao Fonseca to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

“Jodar is a very, very clean hitter, very easy power,” Sinner said over the weekend. “You can hear with the sound, you know, when he touches it, and it’s a good sound coming from the racquet. He’s very, very talented. He’s going to be a great, great player in the future, and he’s already showing. I like the mentality, it’s quite calm. I don’t know him personally, but he seems very humble.”

On court, Sinner imposed himself early, converting two breaks to take the opening set and pressing in a tense ninth game of the second. Jodar had five break points of his own in set two but held on to force a tiebreak. Sinner claimed the first mini-break and extended a run to 10 straight points in the tiebreak, serving out the win and a place in the last four.

Episode 18 of The Big T digs into Madrid, equipment and a new cross-tour ranking. Feliciano Lopez, former world No. 12 and a seven-time tour champion who now serves as tournament director of the Mutua Madrid Open, joined Andrea Petkovic and Mark Petchey in Spain to discuss the combined 1000 event and the state of the game. Lopez voiced concern about Carlos Alcaraz, who will miss Roland Garros with a wrist injury. “It’s a bit of concern,” said Lopez of Alcaraz’s injury. “When I saw that, I knew immediately that it doesn’t look well—the way he got injured. Because I had the same issue many years ago … I’m just hoping for him not to get surgery.”

Lopez also reflected on Madrid-born Rafa Jodar, whose rapid ascent has surprised many. “It’s like a miracle for us.” Feliciano Lopez on Rafa Jodar. In a wider conversation about format and scheduling, Lopez weighed the controversy over longer 1000 events and how extended tournaments affect players and the tour. “It’s impossible to make everyone happy,” says Lopez, speaking to the tough decisions his role requires.

There is also a technical segment for gear fans. Jonas Eriksson, founder of TennisNerd.net, breaks down racquets, strings and setups, explaining how top players adjust equipment and why copying pros can be misleading. He points to Jannik Sinner as an example of meticulous setup and notes, “I never see him change tension, or doubt his equipment,” says Eriksson. He cautions club players that “They play a different sport, they’re so physically fit,” and admits he’s even “a little worried about Carlitos.”

The episode closes with a tribute to Roberto Bautista Agut as he continues his final season and the debut of the Big T Combined Power Rankings, a monthly feature that blends ATP and WTA form to generate a single list, with Sinner and Sabalenka leading the initial conversation about the Top 5.

The Madrid Open quarterfinals present two intriguing men’s matchups and a surprise-laden women’s tie. At the center is Jannik Sinner, now 24, who will face 19-year-old Rafael Jodar in their first career meeting. Sinner has spent much of his rise chasing the game’s established champions; this time the script flips and he arrives as the elder in a matchup against a rising home favorite.

“It would be good if I face him before Rome and then Roland Garros, Sinner says. “Here is very unique conditions. He’s from Madrid, so he’s very used to these conditions here.”

Jodar has drawn buzz for an all-court game that blends power, height and speed. He lost the second set to Joao Fonseca on Sunday but closed the match with a 6-1 third set. Against Vit Kopriva he remained level through 10 games before winning the last eight. On clay last week in Barcelona he pushed Arthur Fils to three competitive sets before falling. Jodar’s flat, pace-oriented strokes resemble those of Sinner and Novak Djokovic, and the home crowd will be firmly behind him. Still, his recent results on other home courts suggest he may not yet have the consistency to topple Sinner. Pick: Sinner.

Arthur Fils and Jiri Lehecka have split two meetings in 2026, Fils taking a 6-3, 6-3 win in the Doha quarterfinals while Lehecka prevailed 6-2, 6-2 in the Miami semifinal. Fils arrived in Miami after a marathon, late-night 7-6, 7-6, 7-6 win over Tommy Paul and has since captured a title in Barcelona. Lehecka, up to No. 14, recently straight-setted a Top 10 opponent, Lorenzo Musetti. Fils brings heavier hitting and athleticism; Lehecka offers a clean strike and an underrated serve. Given Fils’ form and mentality this spring, he has the edge. Pick: Fils.

On the women’s side, Marta Kostyuk and Linda Noskova are both unexpected names in the quarters. Kostyuk, seeded 26th, ousted Jessica Pegula in straight sets and arrives off a clay title in Rouen. Noskova, seeded 13th, edged Coco Gauff in a third-set tiebreak and reached her first WTA 1000 final in Beijing last fall. Both were junior standouts and are still early in their careers. Expect a competitive match and more progress to come from each player.