The first three quarterfinal matches of the Rolex Shanghai Masters are in the books. While Alexander Zverev comfortably cleared his hurdle, young Spaniard Rafael Jodar continued his unbelievable streak of comeback victories, and one match unfortunately ended in a retirement.
Zverev Solid, Injury Halts Gea
After struggling and being pushed to three sets in the earlier rounds of the tournament, Alexander Zverev has found a much higher gear in the final stages. The German star routinely defeated Australian Alex De Minaur in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Zverev grabbed an early break in the fifth game of the opening set. De Minaur immediately generated three break points in the following game to strike back, but Zverev fended them off, held his serve, and closed out the set. In the second set, Zverev broke again in the seventh game and comfortably held his remaining service games to book a spot in the semifinals.
The second quarterfinal unfortunately lacked tennis action. Young Frenchman Arthur Gea was forced to retire against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina while trailing 4-1. The retirement was caused by a severe hip and thigh (quadriceps) injury, bringing an unfortunate end to Gea’s otherwise fantastic run in Shanghai.
Rafael Jodar – The Comeback King Dethrones Ruud
The biggest battle of the day took place between Rafael Jodar and Norway’s Casper Ruud. The Spaniard triumphed 2-1 (4-6, 6-4, 6-3), achieving an incredible feat—this was his fourth consecutive match in the tournament where he won after dropping the opening set. All four of these victories came via three-set comebacks.
The first set featured numerous break points on both sides. Serving to stay in the set at 5-4 down, Jodar’s level slightly dropped, which Ruud capitalized on to secure the break and take the set 6-4.
In the second set, Jodar struck first with a break in the third game, but Ruud immediately broke back. In the ninth game, Jodar secured another crucial break to lead 5-4, before comfortably serving out the set to force a decider.
The first four games of the third set mirrored the second. Jodar broke in the third game, and Ruud broke right back in the fourth. However, Jodar found another gear, breaking Ruud’s serve again in the fifth game. From that point on, the Spaniard cruised, adding one more break and relying on solid serving to win the set 6-3. He advances to the semifinals, where he will face the winner of the final quarterfinal between Daniil Medvedev and Tommy Paul.
📊 Match Statistics: Jodar vs. Ruud
| Statistic | Rafael Jodar | Casper Ruud |
| Aces | 6 | 10 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 5 |
| 1st Serve Percentage | 64% | 67% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 76% (41/54) | 61% (44/72) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 52% (16/31) | 46% (16/35) |
| Break Points Saved | 4/7 (57%) | 10/15 (67%) |
| Break Points Won | 5/15 (33%) | 3/7 (43%) |
| Winners | 28 | 26 |
| Unforced Errors | 31 | 41 |
| Total Points Won | 103 | 87 |
Jodar built his crucial advantage through fantastic execution on his first serve points (76%), while Ruud suffered from a significantly higher unforced error count (41) and five double faults that came at pivotal moments in the match.
👉 For full draw details, seeds, and prize money information, visit our main hub article: Rolex Shanghai Masters 2026: News, Draw & Results.
