Rafael Jódar: "My dream is to compete against the strongest players on the circuit"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 26 Jun 2025 | 17.00

Rafael Jódar: "My dream is to compete against the strongest players on the circuit." Photo: Getty Images

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Rafael Jódar became known in Spanish tennis after winning last year's US Open Junior championship. With barely any time to celebrate, he traveled to Valencia to join the rest of the Spanish Davis Cup team, as he would serve as a hitting partner. There, he met Carlos Alcaraz, although his idol is his namesake Rafa Nadal. After the media frenzy subsided, the young man from Madrid decided to take it slow and instead of turning professional at 18, he opted for a college scholarship in the United States, while continuing to improve his tennis to make the leap to professionalism.

So far, he's been successful in the junior circuit, finishing among the top 10 last season and making strides in his early appearances in the Challenger circuit. He reached the semifinals in his second Challenger in Mexico last April, and now he is in Milan, competing in his first European Challenger and meeting expectations. He just made it to the semifinals, where he will face Dino Prizmic, climbing a total of 123 places to be ranked 554. If he reaches the final, he would rise to 443rd in the world, and a hypothetical title would place him at 397th. A significant leap that would advance him nearly 280 positions.

Regardless of the outcome, his feelings are extremely positive less than a year after making himself known. His name is starting to gain prominence, attracting interest from the media. As seen with Ubitennis, where he was interviewed during his stay in Milan.

First and foremost, the Madrid native explained the reason for choosing to play his first European Challenger in the Italian city: "It's a great tournament. I have eight junior spots to enter the Challenger main draw because I finished among the top 10 juniors last season and needed to use four before June. I had already used three, and this was the last week I could use the fourth spot, so I chose this tournament because it has excellent organization and because Milan is a great city."

Clear Goals

After giving reasons for his presence in the Lombard city, Jódar explained why he took up the sport: "I think tennis is a very complete sport. In tennis, you have to focus on all aspects of your game if you want to be a good player. I also played football when I was younger and enjoy watching a variety of sports, but I chose tennis because I thought it was the sport where I could have the most fun and discover new things. My goal is to have fun on the court and explore places around the world like Milan. Tennis has already given me a lot in this sense in my life, and I am very grateful for it. It's also a sport good for health."

The 18-year-old highlighted the importance of mental strength: "I believe the mental aspect is crucial, not only during the game but also after the match". He added that other elements such as proper nutrition, rest, and post-match workouts are also vital: "You have to pay attention to many things... go to the gym, exercise after the game, eat well, sleep well. All of that is very important because I think the work you do when you're not playing reflects on your performance on the court."

Jódar didn't miss the historic Roland Garros final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, where the Spaniard claimed victory after coming back from two sets down and saving three match points: "It's fantastic for our sport to have two players like that, capable of producing extraordinary matches like the Roland Garros final. This way, many people can get closer to our sport and realize how interesting and enjoyable tennis is."

Grateful for Training with Alcaraz

Furthermore, he has already experienced training with the top-ranked Spanish player a few days after his triumph in New York: "I trained with him last year in Valencia because I was there as a hitting partner for the Davis Cup. He was very kind to me; he is truly a good person. I was very grateful for that opportunity. We were only there for a week, so there wasn't much time, but he congratulated me, told me to keep it up, that I am still very young, so I can learn much more."

The Madrid native took the opportunity to explain his reasons for choosing to study in the United States instead of joining the ATP circuit and entering the demanding and competitive American college league: "I made this decision primarily to grow as a player, but also as a person. College is a great place to meet new people, make friends, and study at a very prestigious university. I also wanted to continue studying because I believe it's essential to do something beyond tennis. It was a great experience; I had a lot of fun, made friends whom I hope will support me in the coming years, and played many matches during the season."

He is aware that he needs to improve various aspects of his game and knows exactly where to focus more: "There are many things I need to enhance because I am still young, but I believe I especially need to improve my adaptability to different surfaces. This is my first clay tournament in a long time, almost a year, so I need to learn to adjust to the conditions I may encounter as it is very different from playing on hard courts. Mobility is also a crucial aspect I need to work on. Many players are improving their mobility, which makes you realize how important it is in today's tennis to move well to perform at your best."

Lastly, he confessed his dreams and goals as a professional tennis player: "To win a Grand Slam, for sure. If I had to choose, I would lean towards Roland Garros. Overall, my dream is to compete against the strongest players on the circuit," concluded Rafael Jódar, who gradually, and quietly, is achieving results that are bringing him closer to fulfilling his intentions.
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This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rafael Jódar: "Mi sueño es competir contra los jugadores más fuertes del circuito"