Competing in just his first full professional season, Rafael Jódar has already found himself at the center of controversies on tour. After coming under scrutiny at the French Open, the Spaniard has stirred a debate after running into a recurring issue during the North American hardcourt swing.
How Brad Gilbert and Mark Petchey Reacted to Rafael Jódar’s Cincinnati Open Drama
Jódar first became the subject of discourse after an unfortunate camera angle made it appear as though he pushed a ball girl during his third-round match at the French Open. The Spaniard denied any wrongdoing with a strongly worded statement, emphasizing that he “could never push a ball kid.”
Subsequently, the 19-year-old has drawn attention for repeatedly having issues with broken shoelaces during his matches at the Mubadala DC Open and the Canadian Open, resulting in stoppages in play. The problem also reared its head during his opening match at the Cincinnati Open, as he squared off against Denis Shapovalov.
During the tense third set, Shapovalov voiced his frustration as Jódar halted play twice due to broken shoelaces. The incident led to an intriguing post-match conversation between the two players after the Spaniard sealed a hard-fought 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 victory.
Following the controversy, Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, stressed that the recurring issue with Jódar’s shoelaces breaking needed to be addressed expeditiously.
“1000% that should be fixed asap, max one ☝️ time that can happen in a match if your hat falls off twice u lose a point,” Gilbert posted.
1000% that should be fixed asap, max one ☝️ time that can happen in a match if your hat falls off twice u lose a point
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) August 16, 2026
Meanwhile, Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu’s former coach, Mark Petchey, welcomed the stir caused by Jódar, making it clear that he did not want to see the Spaniard change his attitude.
“People want rivalries but then get upset when someone steps into the arena and dares to be different. Hopefully Jodar never changes his way. Tennis is never better when fans are completely invested in a player either winning or losing. Hardest sport in the world needs a character of granite to be great,” Petchey wrote.
People want rivalries but then get upset when someone steps into the arena and dares to be different.
Hopefully Jodar never changes his way.
Tennis is never better when fans are completely invested in a player either winning or losing.
Hardest sport in the world needs a…
— Mark Petchey (@_markpetchey) August 16, 2026
Tennis journalist José Morón echoed Petchey’s sentiments, commenting, “‘People want rivalries but then get upset when someone steps onto the stage and dares to be different.’ I couldn’t agree more. People aren’t aware of where we’d all be if those they criticize so much didn’t exist.”
No. 12 seed Rafael Jódar will hope to secure a more comfortable victory in his third-round showdown with No. 22 seed Alejandro Tabilo. The winner of the match between Flavio Cobolli and Alexander Blockx will await the Spaniard in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open.
