Spanish tennis star responds to claims of the ‘worst behaviour in years’ after a shocking incident at the Shanghai Masters.
Rafael Jodar, who recently got caught up in some criticism for his rude behavior toward a ball kid at the Shanghai Masters, has now spoken out about it.
The young Spanish player, who many think will soon challenge stars like Alcaraz and Sinner for Grand Slam wins in the 2026 ATP season, was warned in Shanghai because of his actions. After losing a point against Botic van de Zandschulp, the 20-year-old swore at a ball kid, saying, “Dame la puta toalla, cono!” (“Give me the f****** towel, damn it!”). Jodar has since admitted he “made a mistake.”
He wasn’t asked about this during his post-match interview on Wednesday, but after beating Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals on Friday, he addressed the situation. Jodar said he respects the ball kids and wanted to explain what happened. “It was my mistake. After the match, I thought about it and realized I shouldn’t have treated the ball kid that way,” he shared.
This isn’t the first time Jodar has faced accusations about disrespecting ball kids. Earlier, there was an unproven claim that he pushed a ball girl at Roland Garros. Jodar denied it, and the video showed the ball girl may have tripped as he passed.
Talking about Shanghai, Jodar added, “I have a lot of respect for the ball kids and umpires at all tournaments. I was just really frustrated during a close point and didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings. I lost control of my emotions, which isn’t right. I’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
When asked if he had apologized to the ball kid, Jodar said he hasn’t yet but hopes to at the venue. “I want to say I’m very sorry, and I’ll never do it again,” he said. “Just like I’m learning how to improve my forehand, backhand, and serve, I’m also learning how to behave better on court. I’m not perfect, I make mistakes, and I’ll learn from this one.”
Looking ahead, Jodar will play against the winner of Daniil Medvedev versus Tommy Paul in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals. Despite a tough loss at the US Open this year, many expect him to bounce back strong in 2027 and challenge the top players for major titles.
If Jodar reaches the top alongside Alcaraz and Sinner, his journey might remind some of Novak Djokovic’s early career, who also had moments of on-court tension before becoming one of the greats.
It will be exciting to see if Jodar can grow not just as a player, but in how he connects with fans and shows sportsmanship, just like his fellow stars.