Rafael Jódar and an increasingly easy dilemma to resolve

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 3 Nov 2025 | 07.38

Rafael Jódar, professional or university. Photo: gettyimages

Streaming ITF M25 Santa Cruz do Sul live tennis

🎾 Laelson Rodrigues vs Rafael Ferreira

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

He exceeded the expectations even of the most optimistic. Rafael Jódar's season has been outstanding, as evidenced by finishing in 166th place in the world while competing only halfway through the season. This opens up a new scenario in his career that forces him to make a momentous decision: Should he take the leap to professionalism or continue at the University of Virginia?

Physical power, abundant talent, a clear game plan, and impeccable work ethic and willpower. These are the qualities that Rafael Jódar has displayed this season, establishing himself as one of the great revelations on the circuit. He claimed his first professional victory on April 2 this year after dominating in his rookie season in the NCAA, representing the University of Virginia. Winning 15 out of 16 matches in that competition, he decided to try his luck in some Challenger tournaments.

Rafael Jódar must decide between turning professional or returning to Virginia

The sensations couldn't have been better from the start. He reached the semifinals in his first professional tournament in Morelos and didn't hesitate to travel to Europe in the summer to also make an impact there. Upon his return to the United States, he added two more titles to his name, including one in Greece in August, propelling him from 911th to 166th in the ATP rankings in just seven months. This achievement almost guarantees him a spot in the Next Gen ATP Finals 2025 and, more significantly, to compete in the qualifying rounds of the 2026 Australian Open.

The latter is crucial and places the Madrid native and his entourage in a dilemma that seems increasingly easy to resolve. Should he return to the University of Virginia for another year of NCAA competition or take the definitive leap into professionalism? At 19 years old, Jódar appears very mature physically and mentally, has honed his skills this season in various Challenger events, and possesses more than sufficient talent to continue making strides in his ascent to the elite.

In 7 months, he has gone from being 911th in the world to 166th in the ATP rankings, winning 3 Challenger titles

As much as the NCAA was perceived as an ideal environment to gradually progress, the young Spaniard has shown everyone that he already belongs in the professional realm. Balancing college tennis with the professional circuit greatly limits the player's potential earnings, and being qualified for the qualifying rounds of a Grand Slam, where earnings are already substantial ($35,000 AUD for playing the first round of qualifying), it seems almost impossible for Jódar not to decide to make the definitive leap into professionalism.

With a strong serve, an offensive-minded tennis style, good mobility for his height, and a significant increase in power in his shots due to physical improvement, Rafael Jódar emerges as one of the young players with the greatest potential to develop in 2026. If he eventually has the chance to compete in the Next Gen ATP Finals 2025, that could be an ideal scenario and a definitive gauge to assess his level of play.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Rafael Jódar y un dilema cada vez más fácil de resolver

Rafael Jódar