Rafael Jodar‘s winning run at the Barcelona Open continued as he defeated Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. This result helped him secure a place in the last 4 of his home event. He is the only Spanish player to make it this far in the competition. Considering that Jodar was clearly the crowd favorite and is a strong player on clay, Norrie knew that it would be quite a difficult task to get past him. So, the Brit decided to play mind games with his opponent from the get-go.

It all began when both players were warming up before the match. As the two of them tried to play some rallies, Norrie surprisingly committed multiple unforced errors. As a result, the rallies weren’t able to continue for long, and Jodar wasn’t able to practice his shots well. Though the Spaniard didn’t protest or anything, the crowd in attendance certainly wasn’t pleased with Norrie’s actions.

This wasn’t all, as the world No. 24 had another trick up his sleeve and used it right after the match began. He let out a massive “Come on!” after winning the opening point of the match, a move that once again surprised the crowd. It appeared as if Norrie was trying to break Jodar’s concentration and frustrate him from the beginning of the match.

This isn’t the first time that Norrie has been accused of playing mind games on the court. During his Round of 16 clash against Nicolas Jarry at Wimbledon last year, the 30-year-old had been called out for bouncing the ball an unnecessary number of times before serving. Jarry had even complained to the chair umpire about this.

“What is the rule there? The problem is, is it normal to do that when it affects the other player? You have to intervene there, or I have to suck it. That’s the real issue; it doesn’t matter the reason. It is the same as hitting the ball anywhere. It’s not intentional, but you have to apply the code as well. How is it now? He can perfectly stop doing it; it’s not a nervous tic. It’s something he can control. It’s not a nervous tick. “You think there’s nothing I can do, so I just have to suck it up, because he does it always,” he had told the umpire.

Additionally, Roberto Carballes Baena had called out Norrie for repeatedly yelling “Vamos” throughout their match at the Moselle Open in 2024. As the two came towards the net to shake hands after the Brit’s 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win, the Spaniard confronted the Brit and told him, “You say ‘Vamos!’ all the time, looking right in my face. You don’t need to do that.”

Coming back, Norrie’s mind games didn’t really affect Jodar, as the match was decided in straight sets after just 69 minutes. The latter looked to be in control throughout the match while his opponent had quite a forgettable day at the office.

Jodar has now recorded three wins in a row at the Barcelona Open, and he is yet to drop a set. He had begun his campaign with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over compatriot Jaume Munar. He followed that up with another one-sided 6-3, 6-3 victory over Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the second round.

After his comprehensive triumph over Norrie, Jodar will be facing an opponent that he has never faced before in a tour-level match in the semifinals of the Barcelona Open.

Rafael Jodar is set to lock horns against Arthur Fils in the semis

Jodar will be taking on the in-form Arthur Fils in the last 4. The Frenchman has also had an impressive campaign in Barcelona, which includes a brilliant 6-3, 6-4 win over Lorenzo Musetti in the quarterfinals.

Fils has drastically improved his form since the Qatar Open, where he made it all the way to the final before being defeated by Carlos Alcaraz. He then reached the quarterfinals at the Indian Wells Masters and also made a semifinal appearance at the Miami Open.

Jodar and Fils have never faced each other before, so no one really knows what to expect from their upcoming meeting in Barcelona. However, looking at their current forms, it will definitely be a must-watch encounter.

Will the crowd-favorite Rafael Jodar reach the final of his home event, or will Arthur Fils spoil his plans and make it to his second final of the 2026 season?