The more mature Jódar reappears: "I take this whole year as a year of learning"

Carlos Navarro | 12 May 2026 | 16.36

Jódar talked about whether he is thinking about a possible final vs Sinner. Source: Getty

Streaming ATP Rome live tennis

🎾 Hamad Medjedovic vs Martin Landaluce

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

Rafael Jódar continues to dazzle the tennis world. Not only with his tennis skills, but especially with the maturity and mental composure with which he seems to face any challenge, exuding calmness in his body language in what are just his initial steps on the ATP circuit. The spotlight is not blinding the Madrid native, who has achieved impressive milestones after reaching the ATP Rome 2026 quarterfinals for the second consecutive time at the Masters 1000 level, a streak that began with his victory in Marrakech on the clay court leg of the tour.

His victory today over Learner Tien was also a statement among his generation: after defeating Joao Fonseca in Madrid, Rafa now prevails over one of the young rackets destined to carry the mantle of the new generation, tasked with dethroning Sinner and Alcaraz. Currently ranked at #29 in the ATP rankings, Jódar seems to have taken the lead in this group... but his attitude and mindset still reflect those of a newcomer: continuously and naturally assimilating experiences, not being blinded by wins or losses, but rather trusting in the lessons learned each week.

This is Rafael Jódar's mindset this season: taking it step by step... and viewing 2026 as a year for learning

All of this was discussed in his post-match interview after beating Learner Tien, once again showcasing that calmness and maturity with which he approaches every journalist's question. "For me, everything is new this year, all the tournaments. I’m getting used to seeing and interacting with all the players in each tournament. I see this year as what it is, a full year of learning, as I believe I can learn a lot if I'm smart, analyze the matches, and pay attention to the surroundings and the environment of each tournament," stated the player from Leganés.

Nevertheless, this open mindset is not incompatible with ambition: Rafa is not surprised by reaching two consecutive quarterfinals and he approaches it with the enthusiasm of a newcomer. "Very excited to reach the quarterfinals again. I try to face each match with the best possible mindset because I'm aware that everyone plays well here. You have to play very well. You have to be consistent, have a tough mindset if you want to win matches in all tournaments. I'm excited to see what my process will be," he expressed.

Jódar discussed the hypothetical prospect of a rematch against Sinner in the final

The excitement with the Madrid-born player is so high that Rafa must even deflect premature thoughts of a potential title clash with Jannik Sinner, his conqueror in the previous Madrid tournament. "No, honestly, I don't think about that. I just focus on my next match, which I know will be against a very tough opponent in the quarterfinals. I take it match by match. I try to learn from all my duels; I think my last two tournaments have been quite good, playing at a very high level. If I don't approach each match with the right mindset, I won't achieve many victories in each tournament," he emphasized. Grounded, focused, and ambitious for his upcoming challenge, scheduled against Luciano Darderi tomorrow for a spot in the ATP Rome 2026 semifinals.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Jódar más maduro vuelve a aparecer: "Me tomo este año completo como un año de aprendizaje"