Alexander Zverev's pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title continues on Tuesday when he faces teenage sensation Rafael Jodar in a fascinating French Open quarter-final.
Jodar has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough campaign in Paris, reaching the last eight on his Roland Garros debut, and he cemented himself as one of the brightest young talents in the men’s game.
Jodar has shown remarkable resilience throughout his run, battling through five sets against both Alex Michelsen and Pablo Carreno Busta, recovering from two sets down against the latter to become only the sixth man this century to reach the French Open quarter-finals on debut.
Standing in his way is one of the most reliable performers at Roland Garros. Zverev has now reached the quarter-finals in Paris for a sixth consecutive year and is bidding for a fifth semi-final appearance at the clay-court major.
The German has looked increasingly comfortable as the tournament has progressed, dispatching Jesper de Jong in straight sets on Sunday, and arrives significantly fresher than his younger opponent.
Rafael Jodar v Alexander Zverev Tips Summary
Best Bet - Alexander Zverev -4.5 games handicap @ 4/5
Alternative Bet - Alexander Zverev to win 3-1 @ 13/5
Bet Builder - Rafael Jodar 3+ Double Faults, Rafael Jodar Over 5+ Aces and Over 0.5 Tie Breaks @ 7/2
Rafael Jodar v Alexander Zverev Prediction
Best Bet: Alexander Zverev -4.5 games handicap @ 4/5
Jodar's run to the quarter-finals has been one of the stories of this year's French Open, but the 19-year-old now faces by far the toughest test of his career.
The Spaniard has spent almost nine hours on court across his last two matches, battling through five-set victories over Alex Michelsen and Pablo Carreno Busta, and there have been signs of vulnerability despite his outstanding results.
Jodar's fearless approach and excellent recent form make him a dangerous proposition, but this represents a huge step up in class. Zverev's vast experience of Grand Slam second weeks, combined with his physical advantage after a far less demanding route through the draw, could prove decisive as the pressure intensifies in Paris.
The German is competing in his sixth successive Roland Garros quarter-final and has looked increasingly comfortable as the tournament has progressed. If he can establish an early foothold, his superior experience and fresher legs should allow him to pull away and cover the handicap.
Alternative Bet: Alexander Zverev to win 3-1 @ 13/5
Backing Zverev to win in four sets looks a stronger angle than taking his shorter odds on the outright market.
Jodar has already shown he can compete at this level and his aggressive baseline game could easily earn him a set, particularly if he starts quickly and rides the confidence from his remarkable run.
However, Zverev's greater consistency, serving power and freshness should become increasingly important as the contest develops and the German can wear down the teenager before sealing victory in four sets.
Rafael Jodar v Alexander Zverev Bet Builder Tip
- Rafael Jodar 3+ Double Faults
- Rafael Jodar Over 5+ Aces
- Over 0.5 Tie Breaks
Pays 7/2
Jodar's serve has been one of the key weapons behind his remarkable run to a first Grand Slam quarter-final. The Spaniard plays an aggressive brand of tennis and is prepared to take risks behind his first delivery, helping him rack up aces throughout the tournament.
However, that attacking approach can also bring mistakes and the teenager has shown a tendency to leak double faults when attempting to maintain pressure on opponents.
Zverev is one of the best servers on the ATP Tour and opportunities to break could be limited on both sides. With Jodar likely to rely heavily on his serve to stay competitive, another strong ace count, a handful of double faults and at least one tie-break all appeal.
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Key Match Stats
- Rafael Jodar has won 19 of his last 22 clay-court matches
- Jodar is appearing in the main draw of just his second Grand Slam and is contesting his first major quarter-final
- Alexander Zverev has reached the French Open quarter-finals in six consecutive years
- Zverev has won 37 of his 40 French Open matches against players ranked outside the world's top 20
- Jodar has required five sets in each of his last two matches, spending almost nine hours on court across those victories
- Zverev has dropped only one set on his route to the quarter-finals and has reached the last eight in Paris for the eighth time overall
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
