It All Adds Up
Jodar’s journey: Inspiration from Nadal, praise from Alcaraz & more
Learn more about the breakthrough star Jodar
April 18, 2026
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Rafael Jodar with Rafael Nadal at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals.
By Andrew Eichenholz
Remember the name: Rafael Jodar.
All eyes have understandably been on another young Spaniard in recent years. Twenty-two-year-old Carlos Alcaraz has already spent 66 weeks as the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, won seven major titles and eight ATP Masters 1000 trophies.
But quietly, one of the stories of 2026 has been the rocket-ship rise of Jodar, a 19-year-old from Madrid. Four months ago, the teen and countryman Martin Landaluce spent time with fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal at the Next Gen ATP Finals. It was a meeting between an all-time great and the sport’s promising future.
Very quickly, Jodar has made himself part of the present, too. In Jeddah, he was the No. 168 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and had never previously competed in a tour-level event. Entering the semi-finals at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell Saturday, Jodar is fresh off winning his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech and the No. 42 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
Alcaraz earlier this week called Jodar an “outstanding player”, adding that, “from Australia until now, what he’s achieved has been amazing.” The Murcia native is not the only ATP No. 1 Club member who has taken notice of the Spain.
“What a talent !!!” Boris Becker wrote on X Friday. “Love his composure and maturity already… Spain is lucky to have another diamond in his arsenal….”
Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Jodar on the practice court in Barcelona.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2026/04/14/20/36/alcaraz-jodar-barcelona-2026.jpg?w=100%25″>Alcaraz and Jodar in Barcelona. Photo Credit: José Izquierdo/BOBS 2026
What stands out most beyond Jodar’s impressive talent is his mentality. As a kid watching the sport on TV, Nadal set the example.
“He was, I think, the best mentality wise. He never gave up in a match,” Jodar said. “He stayed there for every moment that the match was bringing him and tried to play his best tennis with the things he was doing throughout those days. I think watching him inspired me when I was younger.”
Before the Next Gen ATP Finals, the Spaniard was a student-athlete at the University of Virginia. Just four months into his pro career, the humble righty is enjoying every moment and taking it all in.
“My goal in tennis is to have fun, playing on Tour and travelling. Every week on Tour is very fun,” Jodar said. “You meet great people. You make a lot of friends. I think life on Tour is good for players with all the facilities the tournaments give you. It’s great.”
These are the moments Jodar dreamed of growing up in Madrid, where he would go to the Mutua Madrid Open with his family. “It was probably one of the best weeks of the year,” he recalled.
Next week, Jodar will be one of the biggest stars at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where he will make his debut. It will be a special moment not just for Rafa, but his entire family.
Jodar’s coach is his father, also named Rafael Jodar. A high school physical education teacher, the elder Jodar played basketball when he was younger.
“When I started growing, he started coaching me,” Jodar said. “Then he started learning more about tennis and also with my growth in tennis, that’s when he started coaching. But he has just coached me.”
That has clearly worked for the 19-year-old. His father has been by his side throughout, with the only exception being when Jodar was in school at Virginia. The university’s coaching staff has continued looking after him, with assistant coach Brian Rasmussen traveling at the start of the year to Australia, where Jodar qualified for the Australian Open and reached the second round of the main draw.
Former Virginia standout Inaki Montes de la Torre has been in his fellow Spaniard’s box in Barcelona, but Jodar’s father has been front and centre.
“My dad, he has been my biggest support my whole life. He wants the best for me, so that’s why he always takes care of me in the best way possible,” Jodar said. “I think that’s great to have that support. Even when he’s not with me in the tournaments, I can feel his support from a distance. It’s great.
“We’ve had so many good times together and we’ve enjoyed a lot of the journey.”
