A New Hope for Spanish Tennis
The first name that comes to mind is Rafael. A Spaniard, full of energy, moving swiftly across the Roland Garros clay, hitting powerful two-handed backhands into the corners as the crowd chants “Vamos, Rafa!” It’s enough to take you back in time.
When Rafael Nadal won his first of 14 French Opens in 2005, Rafael Jodar was still 15 months away from being born. Yet, in the absence of the injured Carlos Alcaraz, Spain now has a new hope on clay to cheer for.
Unlike his 19-year-old namesake, who often puts fans through a tense experience in Paris, Nadal rarely tested his supporters during matches at Roland Garros. However, Jodar faced a different challenge in his third match here, where he had to endure a four-hour, five-set battle against American Alex Michelsen to secure his place in the fourth round. He will now face countryman Pablo Carreno Busta on Saturday.
Jodar has already shown his prowess on clay, with 18 wins out of 21 Tour-level matches on the surface. Only Andy Roddick managed more across his first 20 matches. Jodar has won more than Nadal (13), Alcaraz (13), Novak Djokovic (10), and Roger Federer (16) did in similar numbers.
The match between Jodar and Michelsen was so thrilling that even under the 34°C heat and rising humidity, there wasn’t a single empty seat on Court Simone-Mathieu, known for its charming setting surrounded by greenhouses.
Jodar needed to come from a set down, but like Alcaraz, he possesses that rare quality of playing his best when the match is most intense. He hit a ruthless double-handed backhand into one corner to take a 5-3 lead in the fifth set, then followed up with a forehand to the opposite corner in the final point. Michelsen, who had given as good as he got for four hours and 16 minutes, finally slumped his shoulders and dropped his head.
After striking the winning shot, Jodar dropped his racquet and pointed to his head. Those who have worked with him say his focus is unlike anything seen at such a young age. “The match is not over until you finish the last point,” said Jodar. “That was my mentality during the fourth and fifth sets and that was one of the reasons I could turn around this match.”
With Jannik Sinner’s loss opening up the draw, there is real talk that this Spanish teenager could go all the way. Jodar has already won a title in Marrakech and reached the quarter-finals in Madrid and Rome, as well as the semi-finals in Barcelona.
It was in Madrid where this prodigy gained fame after Alcaraz withdrew injured on the eve of the event, and the hometown boy took center stage, reaching the last eight where only Sinner could stop him.
Even Jude Bellingham, Jodar’s favorite footballer, was present on court to watch him. During his victory over Dutchman Jesper de Jong, Jodar turned to Bellingham and stood with his arms outstretched, paying tribute to the midfielder’s signature celebration. He also signed “Hey Jude” on the TV camera.
Jodar feels at home among superstars, but with stardom comes scrutiny and, at times, controversy. During his victory, footage went viral showing him seemingly shoving a ball girl as he left the court. He was questioned about it after the match, but it later became clear that he was the victim of bad timing and a poor camera angle as the ball girl tripped on the court covers.
“My role model in tennis when I was younger was Nadal,” said Jodar. “Then in the last few years before I turned pro, I would say Alcaraz. But I try to follow my own path. I try to develop as a player, but with my own spirit.”
Another big name fell in the tournament as eighth seed Alex de Minaur, fiancé of Britain’s Katie Boulter, was beaten 0-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 by 26th seed Jakub Mensik.
