Jódar becomes youngest Shanghai semi-finalist, Medvedev awaits

Rafael Jódar has made a habit of starting slowly in Shanghai, and he has made an even stronger habit of finishing well. On Friday the 20-year-old Spaniard lost the opening set to Casper Ruud for the fourth match running at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, then won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. The result makes him the youngest semi-finalist in the tournament's history, which dates back to 2009.

Next up is a former champion. Daniil Medvedev, who won the title in 2019, beat Tommy Paul 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in two hours and eight minutes to set up his first career meeting with Jódar.

Another comeback for Jódar

The quarter-final against the Norwegian followed a familiar script. In a tight first set, neither man could take his break chances until Ruud converted late. Jódar had let three break points slip at 4-4, and Ruud broke in the very next game to go a set up. From there the Spaniard took over the baseline exchanges, getting the decisive breaks in the second and third sets. According to Spanish media, the match lasted more than two hours and 20 minutes.

"Casper is a very tough player. I had to give my best level today," Jódar said afterwards, as quoted by AFP. Earlier in the week he had also come from a set down against Jiří Lehečka and Botic van de Zandschulp. It is his second semi-final at Masters 1000 level and his fifth of the season, so he is now two wins away from a first Masters title.

His run also gives Spain two semi-finalists in Shanghai. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina got through on Thursday after Arthur Géa retired injured. He will play top seed and world No. 1 Alexander Zverev on Saturday.

Medvedev survives a mid-match slump

Medvedev was clinical in the opening set, taking it in 43 minutes. Then Paul, the 15th seed, ran away with the second as the Russian's level dropped sharply. After a bathroom break before the decider, Medvedev won eight of the first nine points of the third set. He also won 16 of 20 points on his own serve in that set, according to Tennis Now. Paul landed only 47 per cent of his first serves in the decider and made 17 of his 37 unforced errors there.

"I think today I was a tiny bit off," Medvedev admitted, as reported by AFP, before adding: "If I'm playing well, I'm tough to beat." The fifth seed saved seven break points over the match and has now beaten Paul in five of their six meetings.

ATPJódar comes from a set down again to sink Van de Zandschulp in Shanghai

According to Tennis Now, the win gives Medvedev the 70th tour-level semi-final of his career and his 19th at Masters 1000 level, which ties him with Tomáš Berdych and Lleyton Hewitt for ninth on the all-time list. He is 45-17 for the season and 11-1 on the Asian swing. Paul missed the chance to join Sebastian Korda and Taylor Fritz as the only American men to reach the last four in Shanghai.

Experience against momentum

The semi-final puts a 30-year-old former world No. 1 and US Open champion up against a 20-year-old playing the best tennis of his career. Medvedev has 24 ATP titles and spent 16 weeks at the top of the rankings in 2022. Jódar, seeded 12th, has spent the week proving he can recover from almost any deficit. Neither man has seen the other's game across the net before.

The winner will play either Zverev or Davidovich Fokina in Sunday's final.