Jodar downs Musetti to continue red-hot run on hard court
Rafael Jodar overwhelmed a suddenly vulnerable Lorenzo Musetti to reach the Montreal round of 16, extending a historic teenage run, while Brandon Nakashima capped the night with his best Masters 1000 result in more than a year.
Rafael Jodar, Montreal 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Rafael Jodar’s remarkable season kept rolling on Thursday night at the National Bank Open presented by Rogers, as the No. 20 seed dismissed Italian Lorenzo Musetti, the No. 11 seed, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the last 16 in Montreal.
The first eight games were tight, with Musetti at times looking the better player. Then the Italian’s level dropped off completely – the kind of total blackout that let the match slip away without a fight – and Jodar seized on it, taking full control to close it out.
It was the Spaniard’s first Masters 1000 round of 16 on a hard court, proof he is not merely a clay-court threat. At 19, he claimed his third top-20 win of the season, having now won 27 of his last 33 matches and 32 overall in 2026.
He also became just the fifth teenager in the past two decades to reach the last 16 at three or more consecutive ATP Masters 1000 events, joining Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Denis Shapovalov and Carlos Alcaraz on that list.
In the previous round, Jodar had beaten Frenchman Corentin Moutet 4-6, 6-1, 6-3. He next faces Czech Jiri Lehecka, the No. 8 seed.
For Musetti, ranked No. 15 and coming off a 7-6(8), 6-2 win over Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia in the third round, the next stop is Cincinnati, where he will look to quickly rediscover his best form.
Later in the session, Brandon Nakashima provided a fitting coda to his summer, beating Frenchman Titouan Droguet 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 to reach the Montreal round of 16 for the first time in more than a year. The American, fresh off a semi-final run in Washington, had never gone beyond the last 16 at a Masters 1000 event in five previous attempts. It was his 24th win of the season.
Montreal Masters 1000 third round
T. Griekspoor vs M. Arnaldi (30)
D. Merida vs A. Michelsen
L. Tien (12) vs T. Paul (17)
A. Popyrin vs T. Tirante
B. van de Zandschulp vs H. Hurkacz
T. Atmane vs J. Mensik (13)
C. Ruud (9) vs J. Fonseca (22)
Z. Bergs (31) vs B. Shelton (5)
J. Lehecka (8) d. A. Blockx (27): 6-3, 6-4
R. Jodar (20) d. L. Musetti (11): 6-4, 6-3
A. Fils (18) d. M. Navone: 6-3, 6-2
C. Norrie d. A. de Minaur (3): 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-1
N. Borges d. Y. Hanfmann: 6-4, 6-2
L. Darderi (19) d. J. Shang: 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
A. Rinderknech (23) d. F. Tiafoe (15): 6-2, 2-0 RET
B. Nakashima (28) d. T. Droguet: 4-6, 6-2, 7-5
