Rafael Jódar ultimately defeated Pablo Carreño Busta with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. The match had been suspended on Wednesday evening due to insufficient artificial lighting on Wimbledon’s Court No. 2. At the time of the suspension, they were in the fourth set, with Carreño having won two sets, Jódar one, and the score at 2-1 in favor of Jódar in the suspended set.
Since Wednesday night, and particularly with the final result now known, Jódar has faced criticism for employing a “trick.” On Wednesday, during a difficult period where he was experiencing physical discomfort in his ankle, Jódar requested a break to use the restroom. This occurred just as it became apparent that the match, unless concluded very quickly, would have to be paused for the day.
This tactic allowed Jódar to gain time and postpone what might have been an inevitable defeat (despite Carreño’s complaints to the umpire). Ultimately, the match was suspended at a convenient moment, enabling Jódar to attempt a comeback the following day after resting, which he successfully did. At the conclusion of the match on Thursday, the handshake between the two players lacked warmth, and many online commentators felt Carreño deserved the win.
Jódar, aged 19, has now defeated the 34-year-old Carreño in two consecutive Grand Slam tournaments. A similar scenario unfolded at Roland Garros a few weeks prior (without an interruption): Carreño led in the first two sets, but Jódar persevered and ultimately won the match. He reached the quarterfinals in his debut at that tournament, solidifying his status as a rising star, and he is now climbing the rankings from his current world No. 25 position.
Jódar is set to face the Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki in the third round of Wimbledon. The winner of that match could potentially meet Jannik Sinner or Jenson Brooksby in the fourth round. Jódar and Sinner have previously played once, in the semifinals at Madrid, where the Italian emerged victorious but expressed admiration for Jódar’s talent despite his youth.