Rafael Jodar has reached his first grand slam quarter-final, but his achievement is not what has got the tennis word talking.
The 19-year-old, playing at Roland Garros for the first time, prevailed over Pablo Carreno Busta in another five set epic.
The biggest drama of the day came before the match even started with Jodar appearing to snub a ball girl.
His act of appearing to ignore a handshake offer from a ball girl has spread across cyberspace, just two days after he was forced to deny claims he shoved a ball girl.
As Jodar walked onto the court for his round of 16 matchup against Carreno Busta on Monday morning (AEST), the ball girl was seen waiting for the Spaniard with an outstretched hand.
As his name was announced to walk onto the court, Jodar walked straight past the young girl.
The girl quickly recovered and walked by his side as the tennis star made his way to dump his gear alongside his seat.
She then took up stance, standing to attention at the side of the umpire’s chair.
The incident has quickly gone viral with one clip on X viewed more than two million times.
Carreno Busta moments earlier walked onto the court holding the hands of a young ball boy.
Showing there was no deliberate snub, Jodar was seen shaking hands with the girl and the other ball boy before the toss of the coin at the net.
It has been an unfortunate 48 hours foe Jodar, despite his victories.
He was accused by tennis commentators of appearing to shove a ball girl out the way as he left the court during his third round victory.
Misleading vision captured from behind Jodar’s back suggested the girl was jolted backwards as he stormed past her.
However, Jodar said he did not touch the girl. He said she slipped on the controversial tarpaulins placed in front of the wall at the back of the court.
“She was walking backwards, I mean, I didn’t push her or anything,” Jodar said after beating Michelsen.
“I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back.
“But yeah, she was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she fell, but not because I [pushed] her.”
Roland Garros officials did not take any disciplinary action and he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Jodar was ranked 707th in the world this time last year, losing in the first and second rounds of second-tier Challenger events in the United States during the 2025 French Open.
Twelve months on, he will face second seed Alexander Zverev, the title favourite after the early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, for a semi-final place at Roland Garros.
French Open carnage as champions wiped out
For the first time in 10 years, there will be a first time winner of the men’s and women’s singles at Roland Garros.
Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek was the last former champion standing, but she suffered a surprise defeat to Madrid Open winner Marta Kostyuk.
The Polish third seed endured a miserable 25th birthday as she went down 7-5, 6-1.
Since winning Roland Garros in her second appearance at the tournament in 2020, Swiatek had never gone more than two years without hoisting aloft the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, but after Aryna Sabalenka ended her bid to win a fourth consecutive French Open in the semi-finals last year, she has lost her unbeatable status on clay.
Elina Svitolina next stands between her compatriot and the last four after she fought back to beat Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
The seventh seed has reached the quarter-finals at the French Open on five previous occasions but has failed to ever go beyond that mark.
Everything falling into place for Zverev
German second seed Alexander Zverev kept alive his hopes of claiming a first Grand Slam title as he beat Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong in straight sets.
The 29-year-old, a three-time runner-up in major finals, eased into the quarter-finals at Roland Garros with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-1 win over his 106th-ranked opponent.
With the men’s draw certain to produce a first-time Grand Slam champion, Zverev is considered the favourite to be that player as he bids to cast away the unwanted title of tennis’ nearly-man.
He overcame an early break of serve in the first set to take the opener in a tie-break.
From then on, it was plain sailing for the big-serving Hamburg native as he raced through to victory in two hours and 14 minutes.
“In the beginning it was a bit difficult, but once I found my rhythm I felt very comfortable on court,” Zverev said.
He will meet Jodar for a place in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
“He’s a very young player, incredibly talented, he’s come on the scene this clay-court season,” Zverev said of the 19-year-old.
“He’s playing incredible tennis and it’s going to be a very difficult challenge but I have to trust myself and I’ll be ready for it.”
— with AFP