Jódar, on his incident with the ball boy in Shanghai: “After the game, I was reflecting on it. I shouldn’t have treated him like that, it was a mistake”

Rafa Jodarnumber 13 in the world ranking, achieved this Friday its qualification for the semifinals of the Shanghai Masters 1000. He did so after beating Casper Ruud 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a new comeback after which he took the opportunity to acknowledge “error” for the treatment he gave in his previous match to a ball boy, to whom he shouted “Give me the fucking towel, damn it!“, something that earned him a warning and criticism in the media and networks.

“After the game, I was reflecting on it. I shouldn’t have treated the ball boy like that, it was a mistake“said the Madrid native at a press conference.

“I have a lot of respect for the ball boys and the chair umpires, in all games and in all tournaments.. “I was very frustrated by how the game was going and I couldn’t control my emotions at that moment,” he explained.

“I’ll try not to do it again. It’s not the right way to treat ball boys.. It was nothing against him. “I had to accept the warning because it was correct, the chair umpire made the right decision,” he continued.

Jódar wanted to take the opportunity to send a public apology to the young volunteer: “If I meet him again at the complex (the Qizhong tennis center), I will try to tell you that I am very sorry for how I acted at that moment.and I will never do it again.”

“Just as I’m learning how to hit the forehand, the backhand or the serve, I’m also learning how to behave on the court, and there are still many things I have to improve. I am human and I make mistakes. I will learn from this mistake“, he stated.

There was interest in the reaction of the public at the Qizhong complex to the Spaniard’s departure to center court, since his previous victory against the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp had been tarnished by that episode, which was also highly criticized on Chinese platforms.

In fact, some commentators had advanced on the Chinese platforms that they would whistle at the Madrid native in his next match. None of that, although the home crowd clearly celebrated Ruud’s points more, and the “let’s go, Rafa!” that were heard in the stands denoted only a marked Spanish accent, unlike other days.