Madrid, Rafa Jódar is already here

Andrés Tomás Rico | 24 Apr 2026 | 21.31

Madrid, Rafa Jódar is already here. Photo: Gettyimages

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Madrid already has its prophet. Rafa Jódar was seeking his first big night after the suffering experienced in his debut at the Mutua Madrid Open against Jesper de Jong. And he had it against none other than the world number eight, Alex de Miñaur. The Australian was the chosen victim by the 19-year-old, who showed no mercy and clinched the victory with a convincing 6-3, 6-1 in just 75 minutes.

Finally, the Manolo Santana Court showed full stands and an enthusiastic crowd. And it was no wonder because the new promise of Spanish and world tennis was making an appearance: Rafa Jódar. The Madrid native was playing at home and felt the warmth of the fans from the beginning, something he needed if he wanted to defeat a top-10 player like Alex de Miñaur.

This is how Rafa Jódar's first big night in Madrid went

The anticipation was such that even Jannik Sinner didn't want to miss the match. The world number one wanted to see firsthand if what they were saying about this 19-year-old was true; a youngster who, in just nine tournaments as a professional, already holds a title and is ranked 42nd in the ATP ranking.

And indeed, the Italian's expectations were fulfilled from the start. Unlike his debut, Jódar didn't want another complicated match. Aware that he was facing one of the world's best tennis players, he came out with an extra gear. In other words, it was all about hits, hits, and more hits. With this recipe, which has also been working for him in his tennis beginnings, he broke the Australian's serve right off the bat.

However, De Miñaur was not going to let the first set slip away so easily and returned the break. But what the 'aussie' didn't know was that Jódar is like his tennis, a sledgehammer. He was unfazed by that break and broke back again to the delight of the stands, witnessing how the lad from Leganés was quickly shedding the label of promise and embracing that of a contender for great things. Only destiny or Jódar himself know when that will happen.

Once he consolidated that second break, the Spaniard didn't release the advantage. Not only was he looking for winners, but he also engaged in rallies with De Miñaur. The Australian couldn't ensnare the Madrid native, who appeared much fresher and also adapted to the conditions of Madrid, swiftly taking the first set 6-3 in 36 minutes.

A party from start to finish

If there's one thing Jódar rarely does, it's slowing down, if anything, he speeds up, but so far, he has never been seen with his foot on the brake. Let's hope it stays that way because that frenzy and intensity suffocate any player, even the sixth-ranked player in the world like Alex de Miñaur. Jódar's party continued, and in the first game of the second set, he broke again.

The Spaniard's pace didn't diminish; everything was happening very quickly, and De Miñaur was running out of ideas and time. In the blink of an eye, the Spaniard secured a double break, and although the Australian got one of them back, it was a brief pause in Jódar's storm.

The maturity, savoir-faire, emotional intelligence, and tactical acumen of Jódar are surprising. While he may appear cold off the court, he possesses an internal fire and a competitiveness worthy of the chosen ones. He didn't flinch in the face of De Miñaur's onslaughts, and victory seemed ever closer.

He clenched his fist and looked at his father with the same determination and firmness he showed to close out a match in which he severely punished none other than Alex de Miñaur. The final result was 6-3, 6-1 in a match that goes beyond the scoreline, confirming once again that Rafa Jódar means business. And there couldn't be a better test and indicator of his potential right now than his upcoming match against another generational player: Joao Fonseca. Next Sunday, the future of tennis will have its first battle.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Madrid, Rafa Jódar ya está aquí