Rafa Jódar stages dramatic comeback against Musetti in Washington

On Friday in Washington, Spain’s Rafa Jódar turned a one‑set deficit into a 1‑6, 6‑1, 6‑4 victory over world No. 15 Lorenzo Musetti, sealing his place in the ATP 500 semifinals and propelling him into the ATP top‑20 for the first time.

The U.S. capital hosted the ATP 500 Washington event on Friday, marking the start of the North American hard‑court swing. The tournament is regarded as a prestigious stop on the tour and offered a stage for Spanish tennis to shine.

Jódar’s start was shaky; a brief loss of rhythm cost him a double fault on a break point in the fourth game. After missing three subsequent break opportunities, Lorenzo Musetti capitalised, breaking Jódar’s serve to close the opening set 6‑1.

In the second set Jódar responded immediately, securing his first service break and then pressing Lorenzo Musetti’s serve, which fell to a 44 % first‑serve success rate and six double faults. A second break gave Jódar a 4‑0 lead, and he closed the set 6‑1.

The deciding set began evenly at 2‑2 before Jódar produced a decisive break in the fifth game. He held his own serve thereafter and finished the match with a clean service game, sealing the victory.

The win guarantees Jódar at least a 19th‑place finish in the forthcoming ATP rankings, propelling him into the top‑20 for the first time and eclipsing his previous career best of No. 23. It also marks his second triumph over a top‑20 opponent, the first being a victory over De Miñaur in Madrid, and delivers his third semifinal of the season after titles in Marrakech and a run in Barcelona, the first on a fast surface.

Jódar’s next challenge will be against left‑handed Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, the player who recently eliminated Ben Shelton, setting up a high‑stakes encounter on the road to the ATP 500 final.