Jubilant Jodar reaches NBO Open quarterfinals with quick win over Lehecka
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MONTREAL – Spaniard Rafael Jodar made quick work of Czechia’s Jiri Lehecka on Saturday in the fourth round of men’s singles at the National Bank Open in Montreal.
The 19-year-old Jodar upset the No. 8 seed in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, as he paired clinical serving with timely breaks while forcing Lehecka into 34 unforced errors over the one-hour, 15-minute match at IGA Stadium.
The Spaniard won all 13 of his first-serve points in the opening set and never faced a break point. He converted his only breakpoint opportunity in the eighth game to take the opener.
Jodar then broke immediately to start the second set and added two more late breaks to solidify the decisive victory.
Jodar, who began the year ranked 168th, advances to his third consecutive Masters 1000 quarterfinal, but first on hard courts.
The teen awaits the winner of No. 18 seed Arthur Fils and Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in a match still to be played later Saturday.
Lehecka’s loss means only one top 10 seed is left standing in the Masters 1000 singles draw. No. 5 seed Ben Shelton of the United States plays his fourth-round match Sunday night against Brazilian teen Joao Fonseca.
Earlier in the day, Luciano Darderi of Italy was the first to punch his ticket to the quarterfinals with a three-set win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges.
The 19th-seeded Darderi prevailed 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 despite Borges hitting 23 more winners and firing 17 total aces to his four.
“I am feeling great,” said Darderi. “I think I am playing better match after match. I am playing good. Today was a really good fight.”
The 24-year-old’s 30th win this season made him the first man to reach 10 ATP Tour quarterfinals this season.
He will play Brandon Nakashima in Monday’s quarterfinal after the American defeated Arthur Rinderknech of France 7-6 (4), 5-7, 7-5 on Saturday. The match was tied 4-4 in the third set when loud thunderstorms in the area forced a delay.
“It’s never easy to stop right in the middle of a match,” said Nakashima. “At the same time, I feel like it did help me a little bit because in the beginning of the third set, I was maybe a little bit frustrated or not as positive as I should be.”
For Nakashima, it is his first quarterfinal appearance at a Masters 1000 tournament in 36 attempts.
“It means a lot,” said Nakashima. “It’s a special moment for me, for sure. I played so many Masters before. With last year and this year now, I feel like I have been growing in the level and going deeper into these tournaments, slowly but surely.”
While there are no Canadians left in the men’s singles field in Montreal, the all-Canadian doubles team of Duncan Chan and Alexis Galarneau are still alive in the doubles draw.
The Canadian wild-cards, who are playing as a doubles pair for the first time, defeated the eighth-seeded duo of Pierre-Hughes Herbert and Kevin Krawietz.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2026.