Rafael Jodar has emerged as a shining light on the ATP Tour since turning professional at the start of this year.
The Spaniard has become a sensation in the space of just a few months, winning his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech and beating some of the very best players on the circuit.
Just this week, Jodar has beaten Alex de Minaur and Joao Fonseca at the Madrid Open.
The 19-year-old’s run in Madrid came to an end on Wednesday with defeat to Jannik Sinner in the Manolo Santana Stadium.
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However, despite the loss, Jodar’s status as a future star of the sport is undeniable.
Rafael Jodar and Jannik Sinner set Spanish television record
Rafael Jodar and Jannik Sinner certainly had Spanish citizens glued to their television screens on Wednesday evening.
As reported by RTVE – the Spanish national radio and television public broadcaster – Jodar and Sinner’s Madrid Open match broke television records on Spanish television channel ‘teledeporte.’
According to RTVE, the television station attracted 420,000 viewers during Sinner and Jodar’s contest, equating to a 5.3 per cent share of the viewership.
As a result, Jodar and Sinner’s contest was the most-watched tennis match of the year on the channel and the second-highest viewership for tennis on television this year.
These viewership numbers prove that Rafael Jodar is already one of the most popular players on the ATP Tour.
Of course, a Spanish player competing against the world number one will always be a match that will attract viewers within the Spanish community.
However, these are far from ordinary statistics, especially for a player who only turned professional at the start of this year.
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Rafael Jodar reacts to his quarter-final loss
“Jannik is a very complete player, in the end he shows it in the matches and especially in the important moments of matches,” Jodar said after Wednesday’s match, as reported by Punto de Break.
“He is very confident and all his blows are very complete. But well, I’ve had the opportunity to play with him in a game that I would say has been equal in many moments.
“Now it’s time to try to analyse, as I said before, how he has played his points and try to change it for the next time he plays against a player like Jannik, or even for the next game.
“And to your second question, yes, my roadmap remains the same; if there is no unforeseen event, Rome is the next tournament.”
As Jodar notes, his next event is set to be the Italian Open, which begins on May 5.
Jodar will be the highest-ranked Spanish representative in the ATP event following Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal.
