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Match Details
Fixture: (7) Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar
Date: October 4, 2025
Tournament: Tiburon Challenger 2025
Round: Semifinals
Venue: Tiburon, USA
Category: ATP Challenger
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize Money: $100,000
Live Telecast: USA - Challenger TV
Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar preview
Seventh-seeded Michael Zheng will face Spain's Rafael Jodar for a place in the 2025 Tiburon Challenger final later on Saturday (October 4).
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Zheng, who won the 2024 NCAA Division-I Men's Singles Championship last November, has put together a good year on the ATP Challenger Tour by winning two titles in Columbus and Chicago. The American has yet to drop a set at this week's 75-level event in Tiburon, having defeated Mitchell Krueger, Olle Wallin, and Oliver Tarvet en route to the last four.
The 21-year-old will be eager to improve upon his impressive year-to-date win/loss record of 27-8 when he takes on 19-year-old Jodar, who cracked the ATP top 500 rankings last month on the back of his against-all-odds triumph at the Hersonissos Challenger. This week, the World No. 309 went on another giant-killing run, beating seeded players like Nicolas Meija and Jack Pinnington Jones to record his sixth Challenger-level semifinal result in 2025.
Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar head-to-head
Zheng and Jodar have never met on either the ATP Tour or the Challenger circuit so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar odds
Odds will be updated once available.
Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar prediction
Zheng is one of the most well-rounded male players to come out of the college tennis ecosystem recently, with equally balanced groundstrokes and a big serve to boot. The World No. 228 also has good movement despite towering at 6'2 and can track down most shots from the baseline.
Jodar, meanwhile, is also a top upcoming prospect as evidenced by his US Open boys' singles title victory last year. The Spanish teen is a stable shotmaker who is adept at turning defense into offense at a moment's notice. That said, although he has the weapons to trouble his higher-ranked opponent, the latter is likely to be buoyed by local support in Tiburon.
All-in-all, Zheng is currently on a great run and will be motivated to secure his third-career Challenger-level title this week. With the promise of a possible top 200 debut also looming over his head, the 21-year-old will be at his best on Saturday.
Pick: Zheng to win in straight sets.
Michael Zheng vs Rafael Jodar betting tips
Tip 1: Result - Zheng to win in straight sets.
Tip 2: Jodar to win at least seven games.
Tip 3: Match to have at least 15 games.
