ROLEX SHANGHAI MASTERS

October 16, 2026

Rafael Jodar

Mixed Zone

R. JODAR/C. Ruud

4-6, 6-4, 6-3

Q. You looked pretty in the zone there, especially toward the end of the match. I was also wondering, you know, you were issued a code violation in your last match, and in the hours that followed you did receive some fair criticism online for how you spoke to that ball boy that you received that code violation for. So I was wondering if you first wanted to respond to that, and how you, I guess, had spent the last 48 hours to be ready for this match here.

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, I would like to explain that. Yeah, it was my mistake. After the match, I thought about it, and I shouldn't have done that to the ball kid. It was my mistake.

I respect a lot the ball kids and the umpires in the match, in all the matches and all the tournaments. I shouldn't have treated the ball kid the way I did.

I was very frustrated because how the match was going for me. It was a very close point. And, yeah, I didn't mean to hurt the feelings of the ball kid or anything, I was just frustrated with me. Yeah, I couldn't control my emotions at that point of the match.

So, yeah, it was my mistake, and I'll try not to do it again, because that's not the right way to treat the ball kids. I respect a lot their job and, yeah, it wasn't anything against him or against any ball kids or umpire.

After what I did, I should have, you know, accepted the warning that I got because it was totally right and the umpire made the right decision.

Q. I think this is the fourth time you win a match being a set down here in Shanghai. Is this something you've done quite a lot this season? How do you manage to bounce back after a tough start like you had this week?

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, it wasn't easy today. Casper was playing very high level during the first set, and during the second and third as well.

I tried, yeah, to play my game, and to, yeah, play the important points and the small details better than him.

In the first set, he did better that job than me. Then in the second set and in the third, maybe I did a little bit better. That's maybe one of the keys why I won this match today.

Q. Do you feel like also returning is a key for you, because a lot of players this week have some troubles returning, and you're returning pretty well, and you're always very close to the lines, especially on the second serve.

RAFAEL JODAR: Well, I mean, I think you have to play different games against all the players, because everyone is going to have a different style game. You just have to analyze what the opponent is going to do and try to do your best to win the points, and to know how to play against every player on tour.

Q. I wonder, did you apologize to the ball boy, or do you intend to, or do you want that opportunity? Also, how did you, I guess, refocus yourself to be ready to compete?

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I would like. I would like to, yeah, to apologize to the ball kid. If I have any chance to see him here at the venue, I'll try to tell him that I'm very sorry about my act and the way that I acted in that moment, and I'll never do it again.

As I am, you know, learning how to do the forehand or how to do the backhand or how to do the serve, I'm also learning how to behave on the court. There's still a lot of things that I have to behave, so I'm not perfect, I'm a human, I make mistakes, so I'll learn from this mistake to not do it again in the next one.