Rafael Jodar has become a star on the ATP Tour.
The 19-year-old Spaniard, who only turned professional at the start of this year, has emerged as one of the most promising young talents on the ATP Tour.
Jodar recently won his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech, and has carried his excellent form into the Barcelona Open.
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He began the event by defeating compatriot Jaume Munar 6-1, 6-2; and on Wednesday he reached the quarter-finals after beating Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-3.
Despite being only 19 years old, Jodar is already making Spanish tennis history.
Rafael Jodar joins Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the Barcelona Open record books
Rafael Jodar has become only the third Spanish teenager to reach the Barcelona Open quarter-finals.
The young Spaniard has joined Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in an exclusive Spanish group. Nadal and Alcaraz are the only other players to reach the Barcelona Open quarter-finals as teenagers.
Nadal did so twice in 2005 and 2006. On both occasions, he went on to win the title.
Alcaraz became the second to accomplish the feat in 2022, beating Kwon-soon Woo and Jaume Munar on his way to the Barcelona Open last eight.
Alcaraz went on to win the title, beating Pablo Carreno Busta in the final.
Alcaraz defended his title a year later, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the championship showpiece.
As for Jodar, he will compete for a semi-final spot in Barcelona when he plays Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Friday.
Norrie, the seventh seed, has beaten Stan Wawrinka and Ethan Quinn so far in Barcelona.
Rafael Jodar has already beaten Cameron Norrie this year
Jodar and Norrie have played each other once previously – at the 2026 Acapulco Open.
Jodar emerged victorious from the contest, beating the British number one 6-3, 6-2.
The Spaniard, a wildcard at the event, recorded his first victory at an ATP 500 event by beating Norrie.
“I have been travelling a lot, playing a lot of tournaments,” Jodar told ATPTour.com following his victory against Norrie.
“I haven’t had two or three weeks at home to relax and [process] what I am doing. But I am just trying to enjoy the process and every step I am taking in this beautiful process.
“I am trying to play all the tournaments I can and enjoy all the places I am able to play and it means a lot to me.”
Jodar went on to lose in the next round to Terence Atmane, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6.
