Jannik Sinner advanced to the Madrid Masters final, continuing his strong run through the draw. The Italian top seed will face an opponent to be determined after a semi-final round that produced an upset when 19-year-old Rafa Jodar defeated Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1 in straight sets.
Jodar, a Madrid local, has drawn attention after knocking out Joao Fonseca and reaching the semi-finals of his home tournament. The Talkn Tennis Podcast noted the teenager's breakthrough performance has generated significant buzz in the tennis world. De Minaur's straight-set exit marked a disappointing end to his Madrid campaign.
The Madrid Masters draw has been marked by notable disruptions. Anastasia Potapova, who entered as a lucky loser after losing in qualifying, reached the semi-finals of the WTA-1000 event, becoming the first lucky loser in WTA-1000 history to advance that far. On the men's side, Hayley Baptiste upset World No. 1 Sabalenka by saving six match points, according to the Talkn Tennis Podcast, in one of the year's biggest upsets so far.
The tournament has also been affected by a wave of illness withdrawals and mid-match incidents involving several top players. Sinner's path to the final and the identity of his opponent will be determined following the remaining semi-final matches.
Sources
- r/tennis: Talkn Tennis Podcast EP23: Madrid Masters 1000 Review & Predictions. Published 2026-05-02.
Reported from public sources.