Rafael Jódar expressed confusion and frustration when asked about online discussions concerning his shoelaces during a post-match press conference following his first-round U.S. Open defeat. Jódar lost to Yunchaokete Bu in straight sets with scores of 2-6, 1-6, and 1-6.
During the press conference, a reporter asked Jódar about the online discourse surrounding his shoelaces and whether he was more aware of how he might be perceived online based on such issues. Jódar, 19, initially appeared confused, asking, "What's the question?" and later stating the "question doesn't make sense."
This exchange followed a match at the U.S. Open where Jódar's shoelaces did not break. However, prior to the tournament, Jódar encountered similar problems at the Cincinnati Open. During his second-round match there against Denis Shapovalov, his shoelaces broke twice in the final set, leading to delays as he had to change his shoes. The issue of breaking shoelaces had also been noted at the D.C. and Canadian Opens, with The Athletic reportedly dubbing him a "serial lace breaker."