Rafael Jodar Feels Privileged to Be in Same Tennis Ecosystem As Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz

Rafael Jodar has become the third Spanish teenager in the Open Era to reach the third round of Wimbledon after former champions Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Jodar faced compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta in the second round on July 1, but due to bad light, the match got suspended and resumed the following day, ending in the 19-year-old’s favor with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 after three hours and 43 minutes.

At the press conference later, the teenager showered praise on Nadal and Alcaraz, the two multiple-time Grand Slam winners. The 22-time Grand Slam champion won twice at SW19, while Alcaraz, too, has emerged victorious in this event twice, defeating Novak Djokovic both times in 2023 and 2024. But last year, arch-rival Jannik Sinner spoiled his hat-trick goal with a four-set win in the final.

Rafa Nadal has been a role model for me in tennis since I was a child. I used to watch all his matches, all the Grand Slams, all the victories he achieved throughout his career. So yes, it is very inspiring for young players in Spain to see someone like Rafa or even Carlos Alcaraz playing so well at these stages. These players are role models for us. I am very grateful to be from the same country as them.

Rafael Jodar said

Alcaraz is not competing at Wimbledon because he is nursing a wrist injury. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was also forced to withdraw from the French Open.

Jodar, on the other hand, will meet Shintaro Mochizuki in the third round. He is competing at Wimbledon for the first time in his career, as before this year’s Australian Open, he had not even played the qualifying rounds of any Major.

Jodar, even though he has not yet played a full season on the tour, has already made a deep run in a Major and won his career’s first title at the Grand Prix Hassan II. At the French Open, Jodar’s run ended in the quarterfinals with a straight-set defeat at the hands of eventual champion Alexander Zverev.

Rafael Jodar on how he prepared to come back after the match got suspended

Rafael Jodar was trailing two sets to one when the match got suspended on Wednesday. He also struggled due to some physical discomfort, but the suspension of the match helped him recover before it was resumed on Thursday.

I knew I had to prepare my body for the next day because, obviously, I was behind. But I believed in my chances. I believed I could, you know, come back and win the fourth set and then the fifth. That’s what happened.

Rafael Jodar said at the press conference

Jodar could face World No.1 Jannik Sinner if they both reach the fourth round. The Spaniard has already faced the four-time Grand Slam champion in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, which he lost.

I started pretty well this morning, I think, and I knew the conditions were different, so I also had to adapt to that. But for him, it was the same. So the conditions were the same for both. I did a great job from when the match stopped last night until I stepped on the court this morning.

Rafael Jodar added

Before making his Wimbledon debut, Jodar was scheduled to play the Queen’s Club Championships, but he was forced to withdraw from it due to an abdominal injury. On the clay swing, after winning the ATP 250 title in Morocco by defeating Marco Trungelliti, Jodar reached the semifinals of the Barcelona Open and the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, before reaching the last eight of the clay-court Major.

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