History repeating? Rafa 2.0 storms into Roland-Garros quarter-finals in debut run

The legendary Rafael Nadal famously won the first of his record-shattering 14 Roland-Garros titles at his maiden attempt at the claycourt major as a teenager in 2005. History could be repeating itself 21 years on.

Nadal’s 19-year-old countryman – and namesake – Rafael Jodar became the fifth man this century to reach the quarter-finals in Paris on his main draw debut on Sunday (Paris time), joining Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero (2000), Martin Verkerk (2003), Jannik Sinner (2020) and Holger Rune (2022).

Jodar, who was ranked No.707 at this time last year, did so by winning a second straight five-setter, outlasting another Spaniard, Pablo Carreno Busta, 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in three hours and 41 minutes.

A shoulder issue plagued former world No.10 Carreno Busta throughout the final sets, but should not take away from Jodar’s achievement, which he celebrated vigorously after embracing his veteran compatriot at the net.

“I’m trying to enjoy the moment,” Jodar said.

“I was talking to my friends and family before the match. It’s a gift to play a fourth round in a French Open, so my goal was to enjoy [the experience] ... I’m very happy with how the week is going and the season as well.”

Nadal, too, was 19 years old when he triumphed in 2005, beating Roger Federer in the semi-finals before a four-set win over Argentine Mariano Puerta.

Jodar’s latest victory followed him rallying from two-sets-to-one down against American Alex Michelsen a round earlier.

He also brushed off his first off-court adversity in the lead-up, based on a misleading viral clip that initially, and incorrectly, made it look like he shoved a young ballgirl during the Michelsen match before an alternative camera angle emerged.

This year’s Roland-Garros championship will crown a first-time grand slam champion after a string of upsets and extraordinary drama in the opening week, including the eliminations of both world No.1 Sinner and 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic.

The defending champion, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, did not even start the tournament because of a wrist injury.

Jodar began this claycourt swing by winning a Challenger event in Morocco in late March before reaching the Barcelona semi-finals, Madrid quarter-finals – where he took it up to Sinner – and the same stage in Rome.

He has won more matches on the red dirt than any other man this year, putting together a 19-3 win-loss record, and provisionally climbing to No.23 in the live ATP rankings.

Jodar’s greatest challenge this fortnight is about to come against German Alexander Zverev, a three-time major finalist who is the new tournament favourite after the chaos that has befallen Roland-Garros. He was runner-up in Paris two years ago.

Zverev’s path to the last eight has been far more comfortable, dropping just one set so far and finally ending lucky loser Jesper De Jong’s unlikely run with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, 6-1 success in the fourth round.

The world No.3 found out in an on-court interview afterwards with retired French star Caroline Garcia that his next opponent was Jodar.

“He’s a very young player, incredibly talented,” Zverev said.

“He’s come on the scene this claycourt season from being ranked outside the top 100 and now almost being top 20 within two months, so he’s playing incredible tennis. It’s going to be a very difficult challenge, but I have to trust myself, and I’ll be ready for it.”

Another of the tour’s rising stars, 20-year-old Jakub Mensik – who ousted Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the third round – advanced to his first grand slam quarter-final with a gutsy 6-3, 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 2-6, 6-3 win over 11th-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev.

Swashbuckling Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca is Mensik’s last-eight opponent in what shapes as a mouth-watering showdown.

Fonseca, 19, backed up his career-defining, five-set victory over Djokovic with a 7-5, 7-6 (10-8), 5-7, 6-2 triumph over dual Roland-Garros runner-up Casper Ruud.

The rest of the men’s quarter-final field will be completed tomorrow. No one outside Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic has won a men’s grand slam singles title since Daniil Medvedev upset the latter in the 2021 US Open final – but that drought will end.

The women’s draw is becoming similarly intriguing, with Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk upsetting four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 thanks to a brilliant display of power hitting.

Swiatek joins last year’s winner, American Coco Gauff, on the tournament scrapheap as world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka’s quest for a maiden Roland-Garros title remains alive.

No.15 seed Kostyuk required nerves of steel after twice being down a break late in the first set, then dropping serve to start the second, but cruised to the finish line after hanging tough in that challenging period.

It has been a headline-grabbing event for Ukrainian women, from Kostyuk to fellow quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina, as well as Oleksandra Oliynykova, who lost in the third round but continued her one-person crusade against the ongoing war in her home country.

A tearful Oliynykova called for Russia’s Diana Schnaider, who defeated her in straight sets, to be sanctioned for playing in an exhibition event last year funded by Gazprom, a Russian state-owned oil company.

Kostyuk and Svitolina will face off for a semi-final spot.

“We have a really good relationship,” Kostyuk said of Svitolina.

“She’s a legend of Ukrainian tennis, and [it will be] such an honour to share the court with her on Tuesday. She’s paved the way for a lot of Ukrainian girls and boys, and she’s doing great, especially this year – she’s doing unbelievable.”

The other women’s quarter-final that was locked in pits 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva against retirement-bound Romanian Sorana Cirstea, whose incredible form raged on with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) defeat of China’s Wang Xiyu.

Andreeva dropped only five games in downing Swiss opponent Jil Teichmann.

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