Rafa Jódar storms into Roland Garros quarter-finals with epic comeback as Swiatek crashes out on day of upsets
Spanish teenager Rafa Jódar produced a stunning five-set comeback against Pablo Carreño to reach his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland Garros, while women's four-time champion Iga Swiatek suffered a shock straight-sets defeat to Marta Kostyuk.
Jódar's remarkable recovery
Rafa Jódar, the 19-year-old from Leganés, fought back from two sets down to defeat compatriot Pablo Carreño 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in 3 hours and 41 minutes on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The world number 29 lost nine consecutive games across the first two sets, trailing 4-0 in the second, before mounting an extraordinary revival. Carreño, 34, required medical treatment for a right shoulder problem at the end of the third set and was unable to maintain his earlier dominance.
Many players would have let themselves go and thought that the fourth round was enough, but I believed I could give a little more.
Jódar becomes the eighth male player under 20 to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals this century, joining a list that includes Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner. He is now the sole Spanish representative remaining in the men's draw after Alcaraz withdrew through injury.
Carreño's praise and the road ahead
Despite the defeat, Carreño was effusive about his young opponent's potential. The veteran, who was playing his best tennis since a serious elbow injury sidelined him between 2022 and 2023, believes Jódar can soon compete with the very best.
Competing against Jannik and Carlos is something he will be able to do very soon. Of course he can be at that level. It's his first year, he's very young and has a lot of room to improve.
Jódar will face either world number three Alexander Zverev or Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. Carreño insisted the teenager can dream of victory, noting Jódar has lost very few matches on clay this season and only against top-ranked opponents.
The father in the box
A distinctive feature of Jódar's campaign has been the near-empty player box. Only his father, Rafael, sits there — a deliberate choice symbolising the journey they have shared since practising in the family garage in Leganés. Friends who travelled from Madrid to support him chose to sit elsewhere in the stadium.
Players have the right to decide who sits in our box and the only one who can do so in mine is my father.
Jódar's entourage told El Mundo that the structure will remain unchanged at least for this year, though the player is considering hiring a physiotherapist.
Swiatek and other seeds fall
On a day of upheaval, four-time champion Iga Swiatek was eliminated by Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 7-5, 6-1. The world number three admitted she felt tense and disconnected, unable to regain control after losing the first set. Her exit marks her earliest at Roland Garros since 2019. Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula had already fallen, leaving Aryna Sabalenka as the only top-five player still standing in the women's draw. The tournament will crown a new women's champion on Saturday.
Clearly, it was not a good day at the office. I know I can play better, but today I couldn't. I should have handled certain things better. I lost control of the match and couldn't get it back.
- Carreño takes first set 6-4 after Jódar loses nine consecutive games.
- Carreño wins second set 6-4, leading two sets to love.
- Jódar dominates third set 6-1; Carreño receives medical treatment for right shoulder.
- Jódar takes fourth set 6-2 as Carreño struggles physically.
- Jódar completes comeback, winning fifth set 6-2 after 3 hours 41 minutes.
A tournament of surprises
The men's event has been equally unpredictable, with Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic already eliminated. Alexander Zverev remains the highest seed left, but the German knows better than most how plans can unravel. Jódar's 19 clay-court wins this season surpass even Sinner's tally, underlining his rapid ascent in his debut ATP campaign.
