Rafa Jódar continues to be one of the stories of the season. The 19-year-old from Madrid reached the third round of the Rome Masters 1000 on Friday with a commanding victory over Portugal’s Nuno Borges, growing in confidence with each match.
Beyond the win, the Spanish teenager once again showed maturity beyond his years when discussing the media spotlight that has surrounded him in recent weeks, intensified by Carlos Alcaraz’s absence from the tournament. “I try to follow my own path, focus on what I have to do, which is play tennis and enjoy being on court,” he said in the mixed zone. Jódar stressed he does not want to lose perspective despite his rapid rise: “Everyone here plays very well. If you don’t play well in a match, the chances of losing are very high.”
The Leganés native approaches the tournament with natural ease and a clear goal of continued improvement. “I’ll try to give a better level and keep getting better,” he said after a solid performance against Borges.
One of the most special moments for him is hearing the classic “Vamos, Rafa” chant from the stands again—a cry historically tied to Rafael Nadal that is now beginning to follow him as well. “It’s very nice,” he acknowledged with a smile. “Barcelona and Madrid were very special tournaments for me. I’m very happy with how they went and that the crowd enjoyed the matches.”
His growth has been meteoric. A little over a year ago, he was ranked 1771 in the ATP rankings; now he moves among the best on the circuit. After a brilliant clay-court swing, he recently reached world No. 34, and in Rome he is confirming his serious credentials.
Jódar also became the fourth teenager this decade to reach the third round in Rome, following Lorenzo Musetti, Jannik Sinner, and Jakub Mensik.
His next challenge will be Italian Matteo Arnaldi, who upset Alex de Minaur in the second round.
