Jódar, going for the big challenge in Paris: "I know that five-set matches can take many turns"

Carlos Navarro | 22 May 2026 | 13.29

This is how Jódar spoke before making his debut in Paris. Source: Getty

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Rafa Jódar is one of the great attractions of Roland Garros 2026, still facing it with the eyes of a newcomer. His last time in Paris was a couple of seasons ago when he was still competing in the junior edition of the event. His arrival in Paris has sparked a wave of expectations and pressure, but also of an increasingly overflowing excitement due to his recent strong performances on the circuit.

In this Parisian appointment, his first as a professional and only his second Grand Slam, he arrives after a well-deserved rest following a demanding clay court swing. Champion in Marrakech, semifinalist in Barcelona, and quarterfinalist in Madrid and Rome... positive experiences abound, but now comes a challenge that Jódar is not very familiar with: the five sets, the two weeks of competition, the exhaustion typical of the great Everest of the circuit. Does this add extra pressure? Does he approach the tournament from a different perspective? You can imagine the answer, but no one better than Rafa himself to clarify it in his first press conference from Paris.

This is how Rafa Jódar arrives at Roland Garros: this is what he says before his debut

- Arriving to play his first Roland Garros, how have his preparations been

"Yes, I arrived here two days ago and I am very excited to compete in this tournament for the first time. It will be my first Grand Slam on clay, so I am very excited. I am trying to prepare myself in the best possible way for my first match on Monday."

- Retrospective look at the last twelve months, at his journey to get here

"Yes, they have been good months for me. I really enjoyed the process of playing in the Challengers at the end of last year, then the Next Gen Finals at the end of the year, having the chance to play against the best young players. This year, playing in all the ATP events in Spain and around the world has been special for me, as after all, it is my first year on the circuit. Discovering all the tournaments is always very special to me. I am trying to get used to this."

- About his ability to bring out his best in new settings: where does that come from? "Yes, I know it is tough because everyone here plays very well and tries to perform at their best, but I try to play my tennis in every tournament, to bring my tennis to the highest level, and if things don't go well, I try to acknowledge the situation and be aware that I have solutions to fix what is happening in the match. As you said, I think focusing on showing all my game on the court, in the matches, was one of the keys to doing well in these recent tournaments."

- Challenge of playing five sets... and now, on clay

"Yes, I think it will be a new experience for me, a new challenge. I am eager to start the tournament: I will try to play my best tennis and without any expectations, because, as I said before, everyone here plays very well and if they have a good day, they can beat you. And yes, knowing that it will be my first Grand Slam here, my first Roland Garros, I enjoy the experience because when I was young I always dreamed of playing in these kinds of settings and in a Grand Slam, so I enjoy the experience."

- On players' restrictions and the pressure of only speaking 15 minutes with the press: is that part of the game?

"Well, I am new to this process and this year, so I don't have an opinion yet. I just try to do what my father and everyone around me recommend, and that's what I do."

- The legacy of another Rafa, Nadal, in this tournament

"Yes, Rafa has done wonderful things in this tournament. It is incredible and amazing what he has achieved and accomplished. When you are in the tournament and playing, you appreciate and realize the importance of what he has done here for 14 years. It is unique. So yes, he has been one of the greatest players of all time, there is no doubt."

- What did you learn during your time at the American college, at the University of Virginia?

"It was a wonderful year for me. I learned a lot, played many matches, and developed and evolved a lot as a tennis player. As a person, I could live on my own, without parents, with the coaches, obviously, supporting me and with my teammates. They always wanted the best for me. It was a great experience. I have good memories of my time at the university and my year at the University of Virginia. It was another chapter in my career."

- Memories of this tournament from when you were young

"Yes, I have good memories. It is always a tournament you dream of playing in when you are young and when you watch it on TV. I am very excited to be here for the first time, in the main draw of the tournament. I was here two years ago playing in the junior tournament, but I think it is a different experience. It is totally different to play here with professional players. I try to enjoy the experience and give my best level on Monday."

- Did you watch last year's final between Sinner and Alcaraz?

"Yes, I watched the final. It was a great match from both sides, not just from Carlos, who won in the end. I think it was a high-level match and I enjoyed watching it on TV. It was an epic final that will always be remembered."

- You wore a Spain shirt at the press conference: who would you personalize it with?

"I like Rodri. I think he is my favorite player. He is the Ballon d'Or winner, so I have to go with Rodri."

- Are you physically ready to handle the five sets in Paris?

"It will be a new experience to play five sets and try to give my best on that day. Everyone here plays very well and can make things difficult for you from day one. I need to be physically and mentally best prepared and know that five-set matches can take many turns, that you have to be there because anything can happen in such a long match."

- How do you handle all the pressure that comes with being a seed for the first time in a Slam?

"I handle it well. In the end, I am a seed, which allows me not to play against another seed in the first round: that's how I see it. I have the opportunity to be a seed in this Grand Slam. It is true that you don't play against any seeds in the first round, but all the players here play very well, we see all the good matches from the first round, that everyone can beat everyone. I don't put any extra pressure on myself. It just gives me motivation to try to do my best and make a good impression here at Roland Garros."

- What tools do you use to control nerves when you are on the court?

"I try to do what I have always done. Try to impose my game and know that if my game is not working, I have to try to adapt a little to the match, as we have seen in previous matches this season, and know that the matches are very long, they can take many turns and that in the end just because you start very well does not mean you will win. Also the other way around, just because you start very poorly does not mean that in the end you cannot turn it around. Every match, especially here in a Grand Slam, is very long and anything can happen."

- Do you set any goals for this Roland Garros?

"If, when the tournament is over, I have enjoyed on the court, given my best level, and walk off the court content, regardless of the result or how it went. If I feel that I have given everything on the court and I couldn't have done anything more, that's enough for me."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar, a por el gran reto en París: "Sé que los partidos a cinco sets pueden dar muchas vueltas"