Madrid Open 2026 Quarter-Final Preview | Sinner Meets Jódar, Ruud Survives & More

Rafael Jódar has done it again. The 19-year-old Madrid-born wildcard cruised past qualifier Vit Kopriva 7-5, 6-0 to reach his first ever Masters 1000 quarter-final — and now faces world number one Jannik Sinner in what promises to be a Caja Mágica fiesta like no other. Jódar has beaten a fifth seed, a 27th seed and a qualifier en route to the last eight, while Casper Ruud survived a triple-tiebreak marathon against Tsitsipas — saving match points along the way — to set up a quarter-final against fellow surprise package Alexander Blockx.

The ATP quarter-finals are scheduled for Wednesday 29 April at the Caja Mágica. Below: all four matchups, our predictions, and a look at the extraordinary WTA action where world number one Sabalenka was knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Post-final update: Sinner went on to beat Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-2 in the Madrid Open final. Read more on Sinner’s record-breaking Madrid Open final win.

Madrid Open 2026 ATP Quarter-Final Draw

QF	Player A	vs	Player B
QF 1	Jannik Sinner (1)	vs	Rafael Jódar (WC)
QF 2	Arthur Fils (21)	vs	Jiří Lehečka (11)
QF 3	Casper Ruud (12)	vs	Alexander Blockx (Q)
QF 4	Flavio Cobolli (10)	vs	Alexander Zverev (2)

Road to the Quarter-Finals: R16 Results

Winner	Score	Eliminated
Jannik Sinner (1)	6-2, 7-5	Cameron Norrie (19)
Rafael Jódar (WC)	7-5, 6-0	Vit Kopriva (Q)
Arthur Fils (21)	6-3, 6-4	T.M. Etcheverry
Jiří Lehečka (11)	6-3, 6-3	Lorenzo Musetti
Casper Ruud (12)	6-7(4), 7-6(2), 7-6(3)	Stefanos Tsitsipas
Alexander Blockx (Q)	7-6(8), 6-2	Francisco Cerundolo
Flavio Cobolli (10)	6-3, 5-7, 6-4	Daniil Medvedev (7)
Alexander Zverev (2)	6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3	Jakub Mensík

The Jódar Story: Third Spanish Teen to Reach Madrid QF After Nadal and Alcaraz

If you need a refresher on who Sinner’s quarter-final opponent is, you haven’t been paying attention. Rafael Jódar has been the player of this tournament. Born in Madrid and still only 19, he entered the draw as a wildcard and has produced three of the most memorable wins seen at a Masters 1000 in years.

He opened by dismantling fifth seed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-1 in the first round — a performance so dominant it stopped the Caja Mágica crowd in its tracks. He then edged a tense three-setter against 27th seed João Fonseca 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-1, before easing past qualifier Vit Kopriva 7-5, 6-0 in the R16. That last performance is telling: Jódar is not just grinding out wins, he is getting sharper with every match.

The 19-year-old has now won 12 of his last 13 matches. He lifted his maiden tour-level title in Marrakech earlier this spring and reached the semi-finals at the Barcelona Open the week before Madrid — where he lost to Arthur Fils, his potential semi-final opponent from the other side of the draw. He is only the third Spanish teenager to reach the quarter-finals in Madrid, following Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.

The atmosphere for Wednesday’s Sinner match will be something else entirely. Madrid has been roaring for Jódar from the first point of his first match, and now an entire city has a quarter-final to get behind.

Madrid Open 2026 ATP QF Predictions

Jannik Sinner (1) vs. Rafael Jódar (WC)

Jannik Sinner eased past Cameron Norrie 6-2, 7-5 in the R16 — a comfortable win that he followed with pointed criticism of the tournament’s late-night scheduling. The world number one has won Monte Carlo, reached the Madrid QF without dropping a set, and enters this match as a very heavy favourite.

Jódar, though, is a different test to anything Sinner has faced this week. The noise, the momentum, the crowd’s belief — none of those things lose tennis matches, but they can create an environment that even the best players in the world find uncomfortable in the early stages. Expect a tight first set, but Sinner’s ability to find the right ball at the right moment on clay makes him the clear pick. Quality will prevail.

Prediction: Sinner in two or three sets.

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Arthur Fils (21) vs. Jiří Lehečka (11)

Fils is on one of the form runs of the clay season. The Frenchman won Barcelona the week before Madrid and has been efficient and controlled throughout, dispatching Etcheverry 6-3, 6-4 in the R16 with minimal fuss. Crucially, he is also the player who beat Jódar in Barcelona — he knows how to handle Spanish-crowd pressure.

Lehečka was equally impressive, beating Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-3 without a hint of doubt. The Czech is seeded 11th, has a powerful serve and plays with variety. This is the most competitive match in the top half of the draw and the one most likely to go to three sets. Slight edge to Fils on form and surface confidence.

Prediction: Fils in three sets.

Casper Ruud (12) vs. Alexander Blockx (Q)

Casper Ruud‘s passage here was anything but smooth. Against Tsitsipas in the R16, the Norwegian defending champion required three tiebreaks and saved match points in what became a near-three-hour examination of his nerve. That he came through — winning the second and third tiebreaks 7-2 and 7-3 after losing the first — shows the mentality that Madrid champions need.

Blockx, the 20-year-old Belgian qualifier, has beaten a seeded player in every round: Shapovalov in R64, then Cerundolo 7-6(8), 6-2 in the R16. He plays without fear and with a clarity of style — flat, direct, aggressive — that can be awkward for clay-court naturals who expect heavy topspin exchanges. Ruud on Madrid clay, as defending champion, should find the answers, but this is not a formality. Ruud in three sets.

Prediction: Ruud in three sets.

Flavio Cobolli (10) vs. Alexander Zverev (2)

The most intriguing quarter-final in the bottom half. Cobolli upset Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in the R16 in arguably the statement result of his career, while Alexander Zverev came through a nervy three-setter against Mensík 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 — a match that showed the German is not yet operating at his sharpest level.

Zverev is a two-time Madrid champion and has the serve and clay-court game to dominate this surface when dialled in. The question is whether Cobolli’s momentum and aggressive baseline game can unsettle him the way it disrupted Medvedev. Zverev is the clear favourite and should close it out, but expect Cobolli to push him hard.

Prediction: Zverev in three sets.

WTA: Sabalenka Stunned, Chaos Reigns

The Madrid chaos has not been confined to the ATP draw. On the women’s side, world number one Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Hailey Baptiste, who saved six match points on her way to a stunning upset. That result follows an already extraordinary week in which Iga Swiatek retired ill in the R32, Coco Gauff was beaten in R16 by Linda Noskova, and Mirra Andreeva — who remains in the draw — is now one of the highest seeds left. Sabalenka‘s exit has blown the title race wide open.

How to Watch the Madrid Open Quarter-Finals Live

The simplest way to watch the Madrid Open live is through the Bet365 live streaming service. Bet365 offers live coverage of ATP and WTA matches to account holders with a funded account or who have placed a bet in the last 24 hours.

To watch on Bet365:

1. Go to Bet365.com via this special link
2. Register an account, make a first deposit and bet £10 to receive £30 in Bet Credits*
3. Once registered, select Tennis from the left-hand menu
4. Select the play icon next to any Madrid Open match in progress

UK viewers can also watch on Sky Sports Tennis and stream via NOW TV. See our Madrid Open 2026 live stream guide for full details.

*New customers only. Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.org

FAQs

Who is Rafael Jódar?

Rafael Jódar is a 19-year-old Spanish wildcard from Madrid, currently ranked No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He entered the Madrid Open as a wildcard and has beaten fifth seed De Minaur, 27th seed Fonseca and qualifier Kopriva to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final. He is only the third Spanish teenager to reach the Madrid QF, after Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, and has won 12 of his last 13 matches.

Who does Sinner play in the Madrid Open quarter-finals?

Jannik Sinner (1) faces wildcard Rafael Jódar on Wednesday 29 April. Jódar is the hometown hero who has beaten three seeded or notable players en route to the last eight. Sinner is the heavy favourite.

Did Ruud really save match points against Tsitsipas?

Yes. Casper Ruud survived a triple-tiebreak battle — 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 7-6(3) — saving match points along the way in a match that lasted nearly three hours. Ruud’s resilience makes him a credible semi-final candidate as defending champion.

How can I watch the Madrid Open quarter-finals in the UK?

The quarter-finals are on Sky Sports Tennis and via NOW TV in the UK. You can also stream live via Bet365 with a funded account. See our full live stream guide.