Rafael Jodar advances past Jiri Lehecka in Montreal, Arthur Fils downs Cameron Norrie

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Jodar[/a] dominated the night match after an afternoon rain delay in the Masters 1000 hardcourt event.[/p][p]The 19-year-old Spaniard, runner-up last week in Washington, never let [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lehecka-jiri/6PlgfXKR/"]Lehecka[/a] into their fourth-round match in collecting his [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/jodar-r-OdngshVK/lehecka-j-6PlgfXKR/?mid=IuK0MjqL"]33rd victory of the season[/a].[/p][p]World number 15 Jodar has reached the last eight in seven of his past eight events and a Montreal title would send the youngster to a top-10 ranking for the first time.[/p][embed guid="63689afa-bb6a-4d7f-91ef-2560c58b86fa" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2086266532527525948?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Jodar will play for a semi-final berth against French 18th seed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/arthur-fils/IoIhUqIN/"]Arthur Fils[/a], who defeated Britain's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norrie-cameron/pvzhJGY8/"]Cameron Norrie[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/arthur-f-IoIhUqIN/norrie-c-pvzhJGY8/?mid=ALmJCryo"]6-2, 7-6(8)[/a].[/p][p]Fils, who lost to Jodar last week in Washington, will play in his fourth Masters quarter-final of the year.[/p][p][b]"It was a very nice battle," Fils said. "The second set was back and forth. He really raised his level. I got a bit tight but I'm happy to get out in two sets. I'm confident with how I'm playing right now."[/b][/p][p]Italian [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darderi-luciano/jeXTxMIp/"]Luciano Darderi[/a] fuelled himself with an espresso shot during a mid-match changeover in a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/borges-n-hzbEPIOa/darderi-l-jeXTxMIp/?mid=4OpR5zO0"]4-6, 6-3, 7-5[/a] victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borges-nuno/hzbEPIOa/"]Nuno Borges[/a] to reach the quarter-finals.[/p][p]It was not the first time Darderi had downed his national rocket fuel to fire up the afterburners in a tight situation on court.[/p][p]Darderi will bid for the semis against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nakashima-brandon/ETGnbrpH/"]Brandon Nakashima[/a], whose match with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rinderknech-arthur/pIxZZsof/"]Arthur Rinderknech[/a] was interrupted for nearly two hours with the final set level at 4-4.[/p][embed guid="00c72fef-af3f-4038-b50b-4627a32e72d0" url="https://x.com/TennisTV/status/2086168423583613168?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Players were taken off court due to rain and the threat of lightning, returning to finish after almost two hours.[/p][p]Nakashima withstood a love game from his French opponent but broke serve a game later before finishing a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/nakashima-b-ETGnbrpH/rinderknech-a-pIxZZsof/?mid=4GO8PGeU"]7-6(4), 5-7, 7-5[/a] victory on his first match point thanks to 22 unforced errors from Rinderknech.[/p][p]He broke through in a Masters round of 16 after losing in his first five matches at this level.[/p][p][b]"Coming out after the break I knew I had to fire at the beginning,"[/b] Nakashima said. [b]"My level is growing with each match and I'm trying to make the most of it."[/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="b3fffa07-b99d-43de-9cf8-a7fa7df79b55" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="6f60ef45-41d2-4a3b-b252-cd2beaa89aa1" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]ATP number 22 Darderi will be playing in an ATP-leading 10th quarter-final of the season after earning his 30th victory of 2026.[/p][p]Darderi will be playing in his second Masters last-eight of the season after achieving the quarters last May at home in Rome.[/p][h2]'I deserved this win'[/h2][p]The 24-year-old overcame more than 40 winners off the racquet of his Portuguese opponent, starting his comeback in the second set with a 5-2 lead and carrying momentum into the third.[/p][p]Darderi broke for 4-3 as Borges double-faulted but lost his own serve moments later for 4-all.[/p][p]The Italian got an insurance break for 6-5 as a net cord bounced out for Borges, then served out the triumph with an ace on match point a game later.[/p][p]"This is my first Masters quarter-final on hardcourt so I'm very pleased," the winner said. "I like the conditions here and the crowd helped me in the third set.[/p][p][b]"I deserved this win. I've improved my hardcourt game a lot. I try to play every match at full power. Paying well on hard is good for me after starting (my career) on clay."[/b][/p]