Rafael Jodar is the latest in a long and illustrious line of Spanish talents to have already made their mark on the ATP Tour.
It’s frightening to think that this is not even his first full year on tour, and yet it feels like he has been around forever.
The 19-year-old had shown glimpses of his quality, but his first run of note came in his home country, as he soared into the Barcelona Open semi-finals, and followed that up with a run to the Madrid and Italian Open quarter-finals.
His consistency since the clay-court season started has been electric, and it’s clear that those talents have translated well onto the grass.
For that, Rafael Jodar is always keen to thank his legendary Spanish predecessors.
Rafael Jodar discusses inspiration from Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal
Asked specifically about Rafael Nadal, Jodar was more than happy to gush about the 22-time Grand Slam champion, who retired just before he truly burst onto the ATP Tour.
However, he also mentioned Carlos Alcaraz by name, who, although only four years older than Jodar, has already accomplished so much.
Do you think Rafael Nadal is the GOAT? 🐐
He told reporters after his second-round win at Wimbledon: “Well, Rafa has been a role model for me tennis-wise since I was a kid. I used to watch all his matches, all the grand slams, all the victories that he won through his career.
“So yeah, it’s very inspiring for the young players from Spain to see someone like Rafa or even Carlos doing that well in those stages.
“So those players are, you know, role models for us. And, you know, we’re super grateful that we are from the same country as them.”
Jodar sent a message to Alcaraz after he first withdrew from Barcelona. Few could have expected that he would go on to miss every match since.
Rafael Jodar delivers fitness update after taking medical time-out during match
Later on in that same press conference, Jodar was asked about his health.
Having been forced to take a medical time-out yesterday, during the first of his two days playing against Pablo Carreño Busta, many feared for his fitness.
However, having gone on to win that match in five sets, it’s clear that he was able to push through, though the after-effects are yet to be seen.
Can Rafael Jodar fill the void left by Carlos Alcaraz?
He's certainly stepped up in his absence so far…
Alas, Jodar feels confident in a quick turnaround, adding: “Yeah, I mean, things have happened you know, during the match. We were playing for, I think, two-and-a-half hours last night. I think we both knew that the possibility of, you know, going to the next day was high, because the match was going to a fourth set.
“So, yeah, I started feeling something in my foot. But it’s all good. I recovered well, and I got ready, you know, in the best way possible for today.”
