Rafa Jódar defeated Matteo Arnaldi in the third round of the Rome Masters 1000 with a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. The Spanish player struggled in the second set but managed to bounce back and secure the victory.
After the match, Jódar expressed his joy: “I am very happy. It is never easy to play an Italian in Rome. I tried to play my tennis and be there in every point.” Regarding the pressure, he added: “In matches, things change very quickly. He played better in the second set, and I had to stay focused. I played the first set very well, but maintaining that level is difficult. Trying to be there with a tougher mentality is important.” On his performance level, he said: “It was hard to maintain my level. I tried to play my tennis and showed a good level today.”
Match statistics:
After winning, Jódar wrote “Vamooos!” on the camera.
Key moments of the match:
– Jódar served for the match at 5-3 in the third set.
– A double fault from Jódar gave Arnaldi a chance, but Jódar sealed the win with a game point.
– The match was briefly affected by rain in Rome, but play continued without interruption.
