Spain has a new tennis hero – again. Rafael Jodar, 19 years old, is currently rocketing his way to the top of the tennis world and is in a Masters quarter-final for the first time in his very young career. Now it’s against the best in the world.
The news surrounding Carlos Alcaraz got worse day by day in the run-up to the Madrid Open, the second of three clay court Masters before the French Open. First, the world number two and six-time Grand Slam champion had to cancel his home tournament in Madrid due to a wrist injury.
A few days later, Alcaraz informed his eight and a half million followers that he also had to skip Rome and the French Open. A shock. Spanish tennis fans had only just gotten used to the French Open without Rafael Nadal. But the biggest clay court tournament in the world now without Alcaraz, the defending champion?
But the Spanish Tristeza did not last long. A 19-year-old from Madrid is now shaking up the tournament in Madrid. His name: Rafael Jodar. He is the new tennis hope in Spain, which is so spoiled with tennis hopes. No, Rafael Jodar is not named after his idol Rafael Nadal. That would be too much kitsch. It is tradition in the Jodar family that all men are called Rafael. Even my great-grandfather was called that.
Only on the ATP tour since January
In times when the teams of top professionals are getting bigger and bigger, when coaches, fitness trainers, mental trainers, physios and hitting partners now take up six to eight seats in the stands, there is only one person sitting in Jodar’s corner. His father, you guessed it, Rafael. He wasn’t a tennis player himself, but instead taught himself everything so that he could train his son.
Rafael Junior picked up a bat for the first time when he was four years old. Now, at 19, he was playing against Czech Vit Kopriva for a place in the quarterfinals at his home tournament. And he didn’t play like someone who had only been on the ATP tour since January. He played like an old hand. Experienced. Efficient. And without the great emotionality of Carlos Alcaraz.
Rafael Jodar exudes objectivity. His playing has hardly any frills. He has a hard, very effective serve, with his forehand he can hit winners from every corner of the court. The improvements in his game can be seen practically on a weekly basis.
Others should provide the wow moments and the La Olas. For example, his competitor of the same age, Joao Fonseca, the Brazilian who was actually already chosen as the designated tennis crown prince. There was a clash in Madrid, Jodar won the duel between the upcoming top stars.
Already in the top 50
Everything shouldn’t happen so quickly. The plan was to study in the USA after his US Open junior title in 2024 and to build his tennis career solidly. He played at the University of Virginia and had a few successful Challenger tournaments in between, and suddenly Jodar was in the top 200 in the world.
So just a year later, I had a change of heart and decided to go on the ATP tour full-time as a professional. He is now in the top 50 and will probably be one of the 32 seeded players at the French Open.
But first there is the biggest match of his career so far. The quarter-finals against Jannik Sinner will take place on Wednesday afternoon. In his native city of Madrid. The 19-year-old potential heir to the throne against the currently best player in the world. In this match, the young Rafael Jodar cannot lose, no matter how it turns out in the end.
A mega talent is growing in Spain. Again.
