First Time Winner
Jodar on Marrakech milestone & working in the wake of Nadal, Alcaraz: First-Time Winner Spotlight
#NextGenATP star talks exclusively with ATPTour.com in Marrakech
April 05, 2026
Grand Prix Hassan II
Rafael Jodar claims his maiden ATP Tour trophy on Sunday at the Grand Prix Hassan II.
By ATP Staff
Rafael Jodar notched another notable milestone in his young career in Marrakech on Sunday, when the #NextGenATP Spaniard overcame Marco Trungelliti 6-3, 6-2 to earn his maiden ATP Tour title at the Grand Prix Hassan II.
Jodar, who was outside the Top 900 of the PIF ATP Rankings a year ago but will on Monday rise to a career-high No. 57, later spoke to ATPTour.com to reflect on his latest achievement, what it means, and how he is seeking to emulate the success of certain fellow Spaniards.
What does it mean to win your first ATP Tour title so early in your career?
I’m very happy how the week went. Overall, I felt great on court, from the first match. It was the first tournament on clay for me so it was going to be difficult at the beginning, but I always have the mentality that I have to give my best tennis and what I have in that match. That’s what I did in all the matches, so it means a lot to win my first ATP title here in Marrakech.
Just 12 months ago you were outside the World’s Top 900. How do you summarise this rapid rise?
It’s been a great year for me. I’ve been able to experience many good places. I’ve been in many places around the world in this year, so I’m super grateful for all the people that came with me, that were supporting me in the good and in the bad moments. That’s always a motivation for me and I want to thank all the people that helped me to reach this title.
You only turned professional at the end of 2025. Did you expect success to come this quickly?
Honestly, no. I never set a goal in the season. Just to try to give my best and improve my tennis level. But overall, I think I did a great week on clay here in Morocco, so I’m very happy how the week went for me and I will try to make sure this is just the beginning. It has to give me motivation for the next challenges.
Marrakech was your first tour-level tournament on clay. What do you think has been the key to adapting so fast to the ATP Tour?
I think everyone here plays very well. You have to be very focused on all the challenges and all the things that other players do during the matches. I think in all the tournaments you have to win the matches with your best level, but some days you don’t have that level so you have to keep believing you can win the match. That has always been my motivation and mentality since I was a kid.
Who are some of the people you would like to dedicate this title to?
To my family. I think they have always been there for me since I was very young. I also want to thank my tennis club, where I’ve been playing since I was six years old. I want to thank them for all the facilities that they gave me since I was very young. Also, to all the people that support me.
The University of Virginia, where I was last year, and all the coaches and teammates that supported me, that still support me [even though] I’m not there. It has been a very good year for me, so I want to thank all the people that support me in the good and bad times.
You also balanced college tennis at the University of Virginia with your professional rise. How did that experience shape your game and mentality?
I think it was a great year for me in college. I could develop a lot and improve my tennis level a lot. I was only there six months or 12 months, but the coaches helped me a lot, taking me to pro tournaments and balancing the college tennis with the pro circuit. It was a great transition for me. I’m very grateful for everything they did. The coaches were also very close with my dad, who was in Madrid, and I think that connection also helped a lot to develop my tennis level.
You’re part of a new generation of Spanish players coming through. How motivating is it to follow in the footsteps of players like Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz?
It’s a lot of motivation, because there have always been a lot of Spanish players, and very good ones. It’s great that Spain has more and more players playing great on Tour. I’m super happy how everyone on the Tour is doing, not just for the tennis but also for Spanish sport. I think it’s great, and I’m very grateful to be part of that country.
How are you going to celebrate your first ATP Tour title?
Honestly, I don’t know. I will have to do something with my dad. I will go back to Spain tonight and try to celebrate tomorrow a little bit with my family. Honestly, I don’t have any plans, but I will do something in Madrid.
