Rafael Jodar is a young man in a hurry.
Around this time last year, the 6-foot-3 Spaniard was in the middle of a late-season surge on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning titles in Lincoln in October and Charlottesville in early November. Coached by his father, Rafael Sr., his two tour-level wins in 2025 came in December at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.
In his spectacular debut season on Tour in 2026, 20-year-old Jodar has won 41 matches, including 18 at ATP Masters 1000 level, reaching the quarter-finals or better in four of his past five Masters 1000 appearances.
“It's really impressive what Rafa has done,” said Casper Ruud ahead of their Friday clash. “Together with his father, they have a great mindset. Choosing to go to college for a year was smart and probably taught him a lot about playing matches and feeling pressure when you play for a team and for your school.
“He gained a lot of experience and came out after the year being Top 15 in the world already, and beating a lot of the top players. He’s made many good calls so far in his career. He will be a problem for many players in the future.”
In 2025 Jodar played for the University of Virginia and was ITA National Rookie of the Year while earning ITA All-American honours. That experience instilled in him a never-say-die attitude, which has been on full display in Shanghai. In his three victories so far, the World No. 13 has rallied from a set down each time.
“I'm very happy how the week is going for me,” Jodar said. “I've already done three comebacks, losing the first set in all three matches. But I'm very proud of my fight and the spirit of fighting always, and super happy to be in the quarter-finals here for the first time in Shanghai.”
Felix Auger-Aliassime, who also made an impact as a young player on Tour, said that he’s very impressed with Jodar and 21-year-old Belgian Alexander Blockx.
“These guys are tall, but, as we’re seeing now more and more with modern tennis, they can do more than just pop the serve... they can move. They can be steady and solid from the baseline.
“So I think for both of them it’s just managing the Tour, managing the season. Obviously, it’s what they don’t have yet. Maybe the transition game they don’t have yet, but that will all come with time and play. They’re both great all-around players.”
Jodar is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, with a real shot at qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals. With Jannik Sinner, who sits second in the Race, ruled out for the remainder of the season, ninth place is effectively the final qualifying position.
After first-round exits at the US Open and Tokyo, when he won just eight games across five sets against much lower-ranked Buyunchaokete and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, Jodar has quickly returned to winning ways as he looks to finish the season strongly.
“I’ll try to push a little bit more in these weeks ahead and then try to analyse what I can do better and improve for the next year, because I’m sure I can be a better player in the future," he said.
