Jodar became the first man born in 2006 to reach a Masters 1000 final and the youngest finalist in the tournament’s history. Ranked No. 13, he will climb to a career-high No. 11 on Monday, overtaking Novak Djokovic after starting the season at No. 168.
The victory was the biggest of his career against the world No. 6 and his 20th at the Masters 1000 this season. He became the second youngest person to reach the mark after Rafael Nadal at the age of 19 in 2005, and he joins Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt, Nadal, Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz as the only players to win 20 Masters 1000 matches in a season before turning 20.
Jodar finds his finishing touch against Medvedev
The tone was set right from the first game, which lasted 13 minutes, as Jodar withstood a long run of two sets without a break point. He broke for 3-1, broke back after saving three break points in the next game and broke straight away again for 4-2. He then saved a break point at 5-2 and needed five set points to close out the set.
Djodar broke Medvedev to open the second set, breaking back at 2-2 and breaking again for 4-3. Medvedev saved three points while serving at 3-5, but Djodar served out the match with love.
After coming out of sets in each of his previous four matches, Jodar won in straight sets for the first time this week. He defeated Argentinian Thiago Agustin Tirante 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, Czech 22nd seed Jiri Lehecka 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, Dutch Bottic van de Zandschulp 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2, 4-4, 6-6, Norwegian Kasper 6, 6-2 and Norwegian Casper 4, 6-20. 6-3.
It will be his third ATP final after winning his first title in Marrakech and reaching the final in Washington earlier this season.
Medvedev, the 2019 champion and No. 6 seed, saw his record drop to 11-2 in China this year after the title in Hangzhou and the semifinals in Beijing. He beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, Czech Dalibor Svrchyna 6-2, 6-3, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 7-5 and American 15th seed Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in Rolex.
