Spanish youngster Rafael Jodar won his first ATP Tour title on Sunday after beating veteran Marco Trungelliti in the Marrakech Open final.
Jodar, considered to be one of Spain’s future ATP stars, defeated his Argentine opponent 6-3, 6-2 in the south-western Moroccan city.
The 19-year-old proved too strong for his Argentine peer, who made his own history by entering the ATP top 100 for the first time at 36 years old.
How will Carlos Alcaraz fare after receiving this draw in Monte-Carlo?
It's far easier than Jannik Sinner's…
Jodar performed superbly throughout the match, winning 94 per cent of his second-serve points and hitting five aces.
Now, following his victory in Marrakech, Jodar has joined the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in making tennis history.
Rafael Jodar joins Carlos Alcaraz
As per reputable tennis journalist Jose Morgado, Rafael Jodar is now only the 11th teenager this decade to win an ATP Tour title.
Jodar, from Madrid, has joined the likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Holger Rune and Joao Fonseca in winning an ATP Tour-level event before the age of 20.
Carlos Alcaraz, remarkably, won nine ATP Tour events before turning 20 years old.
However, it would be unfair to compare Jodar to such lofty standards. After all, Alcaraz is a generational talent and a future all-time great of the sport.
Jodar’s achievement gives tennis fans insight into the potential of the Spanish youngster.
The young Spaniard has demonstrated immense maturity and poise in collecting his first ATP Tour title: few players as young as Jodar – as demonstrated by the list above – possess the aptitude needed to win such events.
The nine teenagers to win an ATP Tour title this decade
- Carlos Alcaraz
- Jannik Sinner
- Joao Fonseca
- Holger Rune
- Juan Manuel Cerundolo
- Arthur Fils
- Thiago Seyboth Wild
- Jakub Mensik
- Juncheng Shang
- Learner Tien
- Rafael Jodar
Jodar, who has previously practised with Carlos Alcaraz at the Davis Cup, has risen to world number 55 following his triumph in Marrakech.
Carlos Alcaraz congratulates Rafael Jodar on his title win
In a post on his Instagram story, Alcaraz congratulated Jodar on his landmark victory in Marrakech.
The short message read: “Great job, Rafa Jodar! Congratulations! Let’s go!”
Unlike Alcaraz, Jodar will not be competing in the Monte Carlo Masters this week.
Jodar is expected to make his return to competitive play at the Barcelona Open, which begins on April 11.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, is set to begin his Monte Carlo campaign on Tuesday. After receiving a bye, the 22-year-old will face Sebastian Baez or Stan Wawrinka in the second round.
