Roland Garros 2026: Teenager Rafa Jódar stuns Carreño in five-set comeback as Swiatek crashes out in Paris

Jódar's epic comeback

Rafael Jódar, the 19-year-old from Leganés, rallied 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 before Carreño began struggling with a right shoulder injury that required on-court medical treatment.

I knew I would have my chances, that the match isn't over until the last point. 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 man under 20 to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals this century, joining Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Ernests Gulbis, and Holger Rune. He is now the sole Spanish representative remaining in the men's draw after Alcaraz withdrew injured.

Carreño's praise and the road ahead

Pablo Carreño, 34, was competing in his first Grand Slam fourth round in four years after a serious elbow injury. Despite the loss, he offered high praise for his young opponent.

Competing with Carlos and Jannik is something he will be able to do very soon. 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 second seed Alexander Zverev or Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong in the quarter-finals on Tuesday. Carreño believes the teenager has a genuine chance: "He has lost very few matches on clay this year and only against top players. He's in the quarter-finals and anything can happen there."

Swiatek's shock exit

In the women's draw, four-time champion Iga Swiatek suffered a stunning defeat to Marta Kostyuk, losing 7-5, 6-1. The world number three admitted it was a difficult day, saying she felt "very tense" and "disconnected" during the match. This marks her earliest exit at Roland Garros since 2019, before she won her first title.

Clearly, it wasn't 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.

Swiatek's defeat follows earlier exits by Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Jessica Pegula, leaving Aryna Sabalenka as the only top-five player still standing. The tournament will crown a new women's champion on Saturday.

A tournament of upheaval

Swiatek's loss continues a pattern of unpredictability at this year's Roland Garros. Men's top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic have already been eliminated. The shifting Paris weather—from sunshine to cloud and humidity—has altered ball behaviour, with players noting how much heavier the balls become in damp conditions.

The father in the box

Jódar's run has been marked by an unusual sight: his player box contains only his father, Rafael. While most players fill their 18-seat boxes with coaches, physiotherapists, and sponsors, Jódar has chosen to keep his team minimal. During his third-round match, he even stopped play to ask fans who had mistakenly sat in the box to leave.

He has always been with me, he has been my biggest support since I was a child.

The arrangement is symbolic of their journey together—from the garage of their home in Leganés through the Club de Tenis Chamartín and the University of Virginia. His camp says the structure will remain intact for at least this year, though Jódar is considering adding a physiotherapist.