Jódar, after his defeat, spoke about the uniqueness of Mochizuki's tennis

Jose Morón | 3 Jul 2026 | 19.38

Jódar, about Mochizuki's very special tennis: "It's not that I didn't expect what I saw" - Photo: Getty

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Rafa Jódar can leave Spain happy with the Wimbledon 2026 he's had. He may be leaving with a strange taste after a defeat against Mochizuki, who was the favorite. Initially, the Japanese didn't pose as much threat as other opponents in this third round, but it has been a great tournament for Rafa to reach this stage without playing a single match on grass before Wimbledon.

Thus, Jódar joins a list where he shares a spot with Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal, becoming the third Spaniard to reach the third round of Wimbledon before turning 20. This way, the player from Madrid leaves a Grand Slam, which he plays for the first time, with a win and without losing his first match.

Rafa Jódar is already looking towards the US hardcourt swing

His next stop, if nothing unusual happens, will be the Washington tournament in the week of July 27. This means he will have a couple of weeks off, going to Huelva next week for the Copa del Rey before starting the preparation for a hardcourt swing where everything should align well for him, in territory and conditions he knows well.

At a press conference after losing to Mochizuki, Rafa talked about the virtues of the Japanese player, who made the match very uncomfortable with nearly 50 net approaches in the four sets of the match. "He played his game. He adapts very well to this surface. All credit to him. I tried until the last point, but today wasn't my day," commented Jódar to the media in English.

The player from Leganés mentioned that he was not caught off guard by Mochizuki's rhythm disruptions, as the Japanese had analyzed very well how to unsettle the Spaniard, relying on his unique style of play, where his shots come with unusual power combined with frequent net approaches. "It's not that I didn't expect what I saw on court. I had already seen several of his matches. I had information on how he played," he added.

Looking ahead to future matches here, on this stage, in the upcoming years, Jódar values positively the three matches he played this year at Wimbledon. "These matches will help me learn from the mistakes I've made," concluded.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar, tras su derrota, habló de lo especial del tenis de Mochizuki

ATP