Jódar reveals what he has learned from his match today against Zverev

Jose Morón | 2 Jun 2026 | 19.01

Jódar reveals what he has learned from his match today against Zverev. Photo: Getty

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It's over for Rafa Jódar at Roland Garros 2026. The Madrilenian put an end to his participation in Paris reaching the quarterfinals, where he was stopped by a Alexander Zverev who proved too much for a Rafa who seemed exhausted at this stage of the tournament, still showing signs of inexperience for this level of challenge. Nothing that time and hard work cannot change.

In the press conference, he made it clear that he's not getting carried away by the great clay court swing he had and is already setting his sights on grass and Wimbledon, where he will also make his debut in this Grand Slam, having previously played in the junior event there.

Resting these days

Truth is, I haven't planned for that. I'll be back in Madrid for a few days and will be taking it easy. I haven't really thought about it. I can't answer that question for you. But yes, I'll be in Madrid, at home, spending some days.

Analysis of the match against Zverev

I've learned a lot. In the end, playing so many matches in a single tournament gives you a lot of experience. Especially when facing situations in matches that are new to me because I had only played five-set matches in Australia. These long tournaments provide valuable experience.

If you analyze them well after the matches, you can draw many conclusions. For me, it's important that I could compete against very good players. I have the opportunity that, if I keep performing well, if I keep believing in myself and working hard, I can raise my level thanks to these matches.

What he learned from his match against Zverev

All these matches help me realize that if you want to compete against the best players in the world, you have to maintain a consistent level. You can't have many ups and downs during the matches, especially when you're playing a five-set match. What I've learned about myself is that I can compete against anyone, but I still have many things to improve, and these kinds of matches will precisely help me improve in those aspects.

About the German player and his game

He's a great player. He does everything very well. He has a lot of experience. He has been playing in these types of stadiums for many years, and I think that's a very important key to facing crucial and pressure-filled moments during the match. Overall, he does everything very well. If one day I want to reach that level, I know I shouldn't worry but rather work hard.

Onto grass now: if he feels underprepared on this surface

I played in the junior tournament. I believe the scenario changes completely. It doesn't serve as a reference for me. It helps that I have played at least two or three weeks on grass. But it doesn't serve as a reference because it was a junior tournament. In the upcoming weeks, let's see if I have the chance to train on a grass court. In the tournaments I play before Wimbledon, I'll try to adapt as best as I can and give my best. I also don’t really know what to expect since I haven't played much on that surface.

He started the clay court swing ranked 89th in the world.

Along the way:

- He won his FIRST title
- First Masters 1000 quarterfinals
- First 0-2 comeback in a Slam
- First Grand Slam quarterfinals
- Rises to 23rd in the world
- 11th in the Race

Impressive display from Rafa Jódar 👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2us8rlSeix
— José Morón (@jmgmoron) June 2, 2026

Assessment of his tournament

Ultimately, time will tell. I'm pleased with the tournament I had, with my debut in Paris. But I'm aware that just because I reached the quarterfinals doesn't mean I will always achieve better results. What it means is that I'm doing things right. It's still my first year on the circuit. I have a lot of room for improvement. I'll take that with me. This match on the central court in Paris gives me a lot of experience. It lets me know what it's like to play on a central court in a Grand Slam.

Rating his season so far

I won't give you a rating. In the end, I think it's a learning process and gaining experience. I don't want to give myself a rating, positive or negative, because I believe everyone has their own path. I'm feeling great in the conditions I'm playing in. I'm enjoying all the tournaments. But I won't give a rating because I don't want to compare myself with other players. Ultimately, the clay court season has gone well. I've played many matches on big courts. I've had a great time in all the tournaments. I'm proud of the role I played in the clay court swing. Now, onwards to continue learning and improving.

If Roland Garros' Center Court intimidated him

I treated it as just another match. It's a very big court, but it's still a tennis court. I tried to give my best. I take away the experience, as I said before, of playing on the central court in Paris. Next year, I'll try to come back here and do my best, knowing that anything can happen and that things change a lot in a year. It didn't impress me at all. It was just another court.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar revela lo que se lleva aprendido de su partido de hoy ante Zverev

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