Jódar wants more: "I have a lot to learn and I must keep pushing myself"
The Spaniard reached the semifinals in Washington after coming back against Musetti, and will face Tabilo for a spot in the grand final; he is now within the Top 20.
Adjectives are starting to run out to describe the feat that Rafa Jódar is accomplishing in his first eight months as a professional tennis player. The Spaniard, who exactly a year ago was ranked 540 in the ATP ranking, is now within the Top 20, specifically in 19th place, after reaching the semifinals of the ATP Washington following an effective comeback against Lorenzo Musetti (1-6, 6-1, 6-4).
It does not matter whether it's clay, grass, or hard court; Rafa Jódar's tennis not only adapts to any surface, but also enhances his strengths on each of them. However, if there is one surface where he moves like a fish in water, it is outdoor cement. There, his shots are more aggressive and faster, just like his serve (77% of points won on first serve), which he managed to defend from the second set without conceding a single break point.
Despite this statistic and his milestone of entering the Top 20 at just 19 years old, Jodar remained grounded: “It sounds really good,” Jodar said in his on-court interview with TennisTV. “All the effort I’m putting in during training weeks and competitions is paying off. I always try to give my best. I still have a lot to learn and need to keep pushing myself.”
Rafa Jódar insists that he must keep improving while already in the semifinals of ATP Washington 2026
Jódar wanted to discuss a first set that raised alarms and how he managed to turn it around against a significant opponent like Musetti: “I didn’t start very well; Lorenzo won the first set 6-1. I had to reorganize mentally. I think I did really well, especially at the beginning of the second set. I served really well, and that gave me the chance to win the second and third sets. I’m very happy with how I recovered.”
Now he is already thinking about his semifinal match today against Alejandro Tabilo. The Chilean surprised everyone by defeating Ben Shelton and will face the Madrid native for a spot in the final. In fact, he already knows what it’s like to win and dominate the Spaniard. He did so last March in the first round of Indian Wells, and convincingly: 6-1, 6-2.
Rafa rising 🙌
19-year-old Rafael Jodar defeats Musetti 1-6 6-1, 6-4 for his first Top 20 win on hard courts! #MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/3KjkY8a4YT— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 1, 2026
Rafa Jódar progresses in ATP Washington just as he does in the rankings. He arrived in the United States as the world number 24 and has already secured 19th place, no matter what happens. However, if he manages to reach his second final of the year, he would climb to 15th place, while a hypothetical title would bring him closer to the Top 10, placing him as the 12th best player in the world.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Jódar quiere más: "Tengo mucho que aprender y debo de seguir esforzándome"