John McEnroe is backing one young player in particular to make a breakthrough in coming years.
There are four teenagers competing in the main draw of the men’s singles tournament at Roland Garros this year.
Two of those teenagers are actually seeded, with Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca searching for a Grand Slam breakthrough in Paris this year.
McEnroe has heaped praise on Jodar in particular, who he has made a big prediction about for the future.
John McEnroe predicts Rafael Jodar to be a future top 10 player
Rafael Jodar has enjoyed a very successful clay court season, which has included him winning his first ATP title in Marrakech, as well as reaching the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.
The Spanish 19-year-old has continued his huge climb up the rankings, with Jodar being ranked outside the top 700 at this same time last year.
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Jodar is seen as a dark horse at Roland Garros this year, and McEnroe has predicted him to break into the top 10 in the next couple of years.
However, the one concern McEnroe appears to have about Jodar is how he will manage best-of-five set tennis at Roland Garros after a busy clay court season.
“Spain continues to produce incredible talent: [Rafael] Nadal, [Carlos] Alcaraz, and now Jodar,” said McEnroe, as reported by Eurosport Spain.
“I like that he played a year at university; it helped him develop. I had heard about him before. He plays with confidence, he’s fearless, he has a powerful game, and he’s a great asset to the sport. With Alcaraz out, Spain needs someone who can compete with the best.
“Now that people know him, expectations will rise. But he seems to have his feet on the ground. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s in the top ten in a year or two.
“He’s unique, he’s not a copy of anyone. Young players today hit with incredible natural power; the ball comes to you instantly. He plays without fear.”
“He looked physically exhausted at the end of his last match. He’s only 19, so he’ll have to learn how to manage best-of-five sets. I didn’t see much net play, but clay makes it difficult. He has good instincts for the future.”
Give us your one wild prediction for Roland Garros!
Could Rafael Jodar be a top 10 player after Roland Garros?
Despite being the current world number 29, Jodar is making his debut at Roland Garros this year.
Jodar could even achieve McEnroe’s prediction of breaking into the top 10 at this tournament, but it would only likely be possible if he was to win the Roland Garros title.
However, he is well on his way to making at least a top 20 debut, with Jodar currently placed at 17th in the race to the ATP Finals.
| Roland Garros 2026 | Where Rafael Jodar would be in the live rankings |
| First Round | 29 |
| Second Round | 27 |
| Third Round | 27 |
| Fourth Round | 26 |
| Quarterfinal | 24 |
| Semifinal | 18 |
| Final | 12 |
| Champion | 10 |
Jodar will be hoping to continue his rapid rise up the rankings at Roland Garros, where he will play his first round match against American Aleksandar Kovacevic.
This first-time meeting between Jodar and Kovacevic will take place on Monday, May 25.
