Jodar Downs Former Champion Nishikori: 'I Can't Retire Like This'

Rafael Jodar moved into the quarterfinals of the Mubadala DC Open with a clinical 6-3, 6-2 victory over Kei Nishikori on Wednesday — sending the Japanese veteran out of his farewell season's North American campaign and prompting one of the most candid press conference moments of the summer.

Jodar Controls Every Phase

Playing a former champion at the very tournament he once won, Jodar showed no sentiment. His second serve proved a near-constant problem for Nishikori, who could not find consistent returns on either wing. Jodar broke early in each set and maintained his lead with precision, never allowing the 36-year-old to settle into any kind of rhythm.

Nishikori had given the Washington crowd a warm moment earlier in the week — a second-round win over Shang Juncheng that he described as his 452nd ATP victory, and his first meaningful result at this event in years. But whatever rhythm he had found against Shang did not carry over. Against Jodar's relentless groundstrokes and reliable second delivery, Nishikori spent the afternoon searching for an answer that never came.

'It Was Almost Funny'

In his post-match press conference, Nishikori delivered a disarmingly blunt self-assessment. "I couldn't even put the ball in the court," he said. "It was almost funny. In training I can hit well, but when a real match comes, I can't do it." The remark that will be most quoted came when he addressed the implications for his retirement year: "I told myself after the match: I can't retire on a match like that. If that had been my last match, I might end up hating tennis."

The veteran is competing in what he has billed as a farewell season and is expected to play the US Open later in August. That tournament — where he reached the final in 2014 — represents his clearest remaining chance to produce a send-off that better reflects a career that made him one of Asia's greatest sporting exports. The Washington exit will sting, not least because this is a venue that holds a particular place in his career history.

Jodar: 'A Legend Like Kei'

The winner was warm and respectful about the occasion. "Kei is one of the best players of all time," Jodar said in his own press conference. "He has won so many titles. It was a pleasure to play against a legend like him."

The victory adds another landmark to Jodar's growing 2026 résumé. The 23-year-old Spaniard has built his results steadily across surfaces this season and is now matching up with players well above him in the rankings without difficulty. Washington is confirming that his consistency is not limited to one surface or one part of the calendar.

Musetti Waits in the Quarterfinals

Jodar's reward is a quarterfinal against Lorenzo Musetti, the Italian who came through a three-set encounter with Aleksandar Vukic in the round of sixteen. Musetti brings significant groundstroke quality on fast surfaces and has shown in previous rounds that he can absorb pressure before striking. It will be the stiffest test Jodar has faced at the Washington ATP 500 and a genuine statement opportunity for the Spaniard.

For Nishikori, the US Open is next — and with it, the hope of a farewell that matches the standard he set during fifteen years at the top of the men's game.