Rafael Jodar's stunning breakthrough run at the Madrid Open came to an end in the quarter-finals, but the young Spaniard left an indelible mark on the tournament—and on tennis legend Alex Corretja.
Playing in his very first professional tournament, Jodar had already dispatched Jesper de Jong, Alex de Minaur, Joao Fonseca, and Vit Kopriva before stepping onto the court against world number one Jannik Sinner. On Wednesday, he fell 2-6, 6-7 to the Italian star, but the fight he showed was anything but ordinary.
Despite the loss, Jodar's rapid ascent has been nothing short of meteoric. The teenager is now expected to climb to world number 34—a remarkable leap for someone who only just turned professional. "For me, he's already a reality," Corretja said on Spanish radio station El Larguero. "You can't consider him a promising player anymore. Someone who's playing the way he's playing, at the level he's showing, and really demonstrating that he keeps progressing week after week—it's big news. Absolutely."
The former world number two was clearly impressed by how Jodar handled the pressure of facing the top seed. "The start was very intense, and Rafa had a few opportunities, but he couldn't capitalise on them. He did get a little frustrated because he saw that his pace wasn't really hurting Sinner, who was still playing at a very high speed," Corretja noted. "But the way he went toe-to-toe with him, without any fear, standing up to him, pressuring him with his forehand and backhand—it really seemed like a display of courage and skill."
What sets Jodar apart, according to Corretja, is his unique style. While comparisons to fellow Spaniards Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal are inevitable, Jodar has forged his own identity. "The good thing is that he has his own personality, both on and off the court," Corretja said.
With the Italian Open kicking off on May 5th in Rome, Jodar will be among the players to watch. Qualifying matches begin this weekend, and the young clay-court specialist—already a champion in Marrakech since early April—looks poised to make another deep run. As Corretja put it, "Next week they'll be in the top 30. It's crazy."