Yunchaokete Bu defeats 12th seed Rafael Jódar in straight sets at US Open
The Chinese lucky loser beat the 19-year-old Spaniard 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 47 minutes on Court 17 following a two-hour rain delay.
Elimination on Court 17
Chinese lucky loser Yunchaokete Bu eliminated 12th-seeded Spanish teenager Rafael Jódar in the first round of the US Open on Wednesday, winning 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in one hour and 47 minutes. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who won the US Open junior title in 2024, struggled throughout his senior main-draw debut at Flushing Meadows. Bu took control of Court 17 from the opening games, breaking Jódar early in every set and denying him any opportunity to establish rhythm. Jódar converted just 48% of his first serves and lost his serve in nine of his 13 service games. Spectators including Spain Davis Cup captain David Ferrer watched from the stands as Jódar repeatedly looked to his box for solutions.
Weather delays and opponent changes
The encounter faced disruption well before the players walked onto the court. Jódar had originally been scheduled to face Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, who withdrew shortly before the match due to an injury. That withdrawal allowed Bu, who had lost in the qualifying rounds, to enter the main draw as a lucky loser. Persistent summer rain across New York then forced organizers to cancel Tuesday's scheduled contest, pushing the fixture to Wednesday afternoon. When play finally began, rain intervened again around 15:00 local time (19:00 GMT) with Bu leading 6-2, 6-1, 4-1. Following a two-hour delay while outdoor courts were inspected and dried, Bu returned to close out the remaining two games.
- Thanasi Kokkinakis withdraws due to injury, allowing Yunchaokete Bu to enter as a lucky loser
- Rain postpones the scheduled first-round match on the outer courts
- Play on Court 17 halts due to rain with Bu leading 6-2, 6-1, 4-1
- Bu closes out the final set to win 6-2, 6-1, 6-1
Contrast in season trajectories
The result concluded a stark contrast between both players' seasons heading into the final Grand Slam tournament of the year. Bu arrived in New York ranked 124th in the world with zero ATP Tour match victories and no previous main-draw Grand Slam wins in 2026, competing primarily on the ATP Challenger circuit. In contrast, Jódar had mounted an ascent through the professional rankings since January, rising from outside the top 100 to world No. 13. His 2026 campaign included quarter-final runs at Roland Garros, the Madrid Masters, and the Rome Masters, alongside a semi-final appearance at the Montreal Masters. Jódar had also participated in Washington and Cincinnati during the preceding North American hard-court swing.
- Rafael Jódar
- 13
- Yunchaokete Bu
- 124
Breakdown of the match
During the contest, Bu's crosscourt forehand and consistent baseline depth repeatedly forced errors from Jódar. The Chinese player did not face a single break point across the first two sets, cruising to a 4-1 advantage in the second set within 30 minutes. Between sets, Jódar consulted with his father near the court to adjust tactics, yet Bu opened the third set with a quick break to lead 3-0. Jódar struggled on baseline exchanges, misfired on attacking forehands, and failed to capitalize on frequent approaches to the net. While other Spanish players such as Jaume Munar also exited the tournament, Jódar's defeat was his earliest Grand Slam exit of 2026 after winning his opening rounds at the previous three majors.
