‘Congrats, Rafa,’ can be heard in the main press room at the Australian Open, reserved for the best, the greatest. Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer have all spoken into those microphones in recent days. But that ‘Congrats, Rafa’ heard many times in Melbourne was not directed at Nadal, who will travel to the tournament final, but at a compatriot of his who is forging an amazing path.
Rafael Jódar (Madrid, 2006) is the latest diamond to come out of the Spanish factory, the latest Spaniard called upon to break through the top 100 barrier and any other walls that stand in his way. On Tuesday, he gave a good example of this: he defeated Japan’s Rei Sakamoto 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 5-7, 4-6 and 6-3 in the first round of the Australian Open. To put it in context: it was his first Grand Slam match and the first five-set match of his life, as well as his debut on the ATP tour.
And on his first attempt, he achieved a victory to remember. The cry he let out after three hours and 50 minutes is one that will not be forgotten. Euphoria? Not at all, his feet firmly planted on the ground. ‘This isn’t going to change anything for me,’ is the first thing he says during his answers in Spanish in the main press room at the Australian Open.
After spending several minutes answering questions from the international press in more than adequate English, Jódar spoke in Spanish with a composure unusual for a 19-year-old.
‘This will give me the confidence to face the season in the best possible way. My goal is to improve and enjoy myself on the court, whether I win or lose. Today it went well, I enjoyed myself immensely and had a great time,’ he continued.
For those who follow tennis closely, Jódar is no stranger: in 2024, he was crowned US Open junior champion, and in 2025, he made the difficult decision to postpone his move to the professional circuit to gain experience on the US university circuit. He packed his bags, said goodbye to his family and moved to Virginia with everything to do and all his dreams to fulfil.
When he landed on the university circuit, he was ranked 895th in the ATP rankings. A year later, he is playing his first Grand Slam in Australia and will be among the top 130 in the world rankings when the tournament ends. A second-round victory over the feared Jakub Mensik, ranked 17th in the world, would even put him on the verge of the top 100.
Part of the generation of Brazilian Joao Fonseca and Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, the Spaniard is currently in Melbourne under the guidance of Brian Rasmussen, who has been his mentor at the University of Virginia. But according to CLAY, that agreement is coming to an end, and on his flight back to Spain, Jódar will have to start thinking about a decision that will shape his future, at least in the short term.
Jódar will settle in Madrid and has to choose a new team to start working with, as well as thinking about his schedule for 2026. ‘I haven’t thought about which tournaments I’m going to play yet,’ says Jódar, who, given his age and level, will logically combine the Challenger circuit with some ATP 250 tournaments.
But with performances like the one in Australia, he is sure to receive invitations to major events.
For now, he is living in the moment. “I am a 19-year-old boy from Madrid whose passion has always been playing tennis and sports in general. It’s a very healthy way to take care of your body, and I thought I could have a lot of fun. Things have gone very well, I’ve improved a lot and I’ve had a great time, first in the juniors, last year in Virginia and now. I’ve enjoyed every step and I’ve known how to handle it,‘ he said in Melbourne. ’I’m a totally normal person.”
