Rafael Jodar Speaks Out on the Shoelace Controversy Against Denis Shapovalov at the Cincinnati Open: ‘I Can’t Control’

Rafael Jodar made a sensational comeback from 5-1 down in the third set against Denis Shapovalov at the Canadian Open. The Spanish youngster had to reel off the last six games to win the match.

During the match, controversy arose when Jodar took three stoppages in the final set. In two of those stoppages, Jodar was seen fixing his shoelaces. Despite being accused of being unsportsmanlike, the teenager stood his ground and defended himself. He was speaking in his post-match interview (as reported by Punto de Break):

It’s a situation I can’t control, honestly. My shoelaces broke, and I needed time to prepare new ones. I will try to have some shoelaces ready for the next match or other shoes to reduce the stoppage time in case it happens again.

Jodar has been considered the best emerging player on the ATP Tour today. Although he hasn’t won any titles yet, he has reached the semifinals of several Masters 1000 events and also played in the Citi Open final.

He has also become the face of Spanish tennis, which has already been blessed with so many legendary players in the modern era. Carlos Alcaraz has become the biggest tennis name from this country after Rafael Nadal recently, but the reigning Australian Open champion is out with a wrist injury.

Rafael Jodar cherishes a high-quality three-setter against Denis Shapovalov

In the battle of different eras, Rafael Jodar won a high-quality match against Denis Shapovalov in the Cincinnati Open during the night session. The Spanish star believes controlling his emotions was crucial to winning the match.

I knew it was going to be a very tough match. Shapovalov is a great player, and the pressure is maximum in all Masters 1000 matches. I have to play my best tennis if I want to win matches in these tournaments; everything changes from one day to the next, and I believe that what I did best today was managing my emotions at key moments, especially in the third set.

At the start of the season, Jodar was ranked outside the top 100. Now, with progression in the Masters 1000 events and Grand Slams, the teenage sensation has made it to World No.11.

With many players in the ATP Finals spots either out of action or out of form, Jodar is in an ideal position to secure qualification for the year-end championships. Jodar is currently 7th in the Race to the ATP Finals, ahead of Novak Djokovic.

With Djokovic now losing at the Cincinnati Open, Jodar has a golden opportunity to not just increase the gap with the 24-time Grand Slam champion, but also get closer to Daniil Medvedev and Flavio Cobolli. Jodar has 2449 points after winning his Cincinnati opener. On the other hand, Medvedev has 2580 points, and Cobolli has 3080 points.

Is Rafael Jodar a US Open contender?

The US Open 2026 is considered to be one of the most open Grand Slams in recent times. Recently, the Grand Slams were all about Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.

However, Alexander Zverev’s win at Roland Garros, alongside the injuries to Sinner and Alcaraz, has raised the stakes for everyone on the ATP Tour. Moreover, the usual Grand Slam contenders are not in top form.

Novak Djokovic has had physical problems of his own, as it was evident during his Cincinnati Open exit. Flavio Cobolli’s form has collapsed after reaching the Roland Garros final.

Hence, Rafael Jodar is one of the players considered a dark horse at the US Open. A similar situation occurred in 2022, when young Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz went all the way to win his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open.

Also Read: Iga Swiatek Says Elena Rybakina Is ‘Better Than Anyone’ If She Plays Her Best Tennis After Canadian Open Win