Spanish tennis is in luck. After the hard emotional blow caused by Carlos Alcaraz’s new injury, the void that could be left for the fan was great. But, then, almost simultaneously, a breath of fresh air – which points to a gale in a matter of months – begins to confirm that it has everything to make the leap among the best rackets on the planet. Rafa Jodar is signing a shiny tennis shoes and, this Friday, he has a high-level test.
The Madrid native is living. one of the sweetest moments of his career. He is only 19 years old and, therefore, a newcomer to elite sport, but he confirms match after match what material he is made of. A few months ago, I was among the top 1,000 players of the world; He made a brutal leap towards the top hundred and, just twenty days later, he was already among the fifty great tennis players of the moment. And he doesn’t want his dream to stop.
After winning his first ATP title in Marrakech and reach the semifinals of the Conde de Godó, where he lost to the champion Arthur Fils, he landed in his city to play the Mutua MadridOpenalready ranked 42nd in the world. He suffered more than expected to overcome in his debut Jesper de Jong (2-6, 7-5 and 6-2) and now, in the second round, one of the best on the planethow is Alex de Minaur. A great opportunity to see what your level is.
The Spaniard does not put any type of pressure on himself, aware that the Australian is the big favorite. But he also knows that it is a wonderful opportunity to see to what extent his tennis has improved and if his level is enough to finish with the eighth best player on the planet. These are big words, but Jódar is going through a sweet moment where he is confirming that he has the level to fight for great successes. It is the great revelation, but it is not given importance.
YOU MAY BE INTERESTED
Ruben Rodriguez
Jódar insists that he is in learning periodwhere great successes are not yet your goal. Wants assimilate all possible conceptslearn as much as possible and draw your own conclusions to improve. But it begins to show what stuff it is made of: it is a player with an important catalog of hitsgood reading of the games, he does not give up a ball for lost, his head is very analytical during the game and he has his feet on the ground.
This set of qualities makes him a very dangerous player, despite his young age and his little experience at the highest level. And he supports it all in a winning character that allows him to bring out his best version: “It is my first year on the circuit, I am developing and learning to act during matches. I am a calm person, I don’t like to express my emotions, but there are times when, If you win an important point, it’s nice to shout and see that the public is with you”.
Very analytical player, tempered and able to control nervesHe also knows that it is necessary to take that fist out for a walk from time to time and even more so in Madrid, where the public has embraced it. Defeat De Minaur It won’t be easy, but trust your options to surprise. But, in addition to seeking victory, there is a secondary objective: to continue understanding how to face these games against the best on the planet to get the best possible reading.
“It will be my second time against a rival from ‘top ten;’ I will try to learn from the things that happen in the game and, above all, enjoy. That’s the most important thing. It’s not every day you play against a great player in front of your audience, so the goal is to enjoy“, Jódar explained. It won’t be easy, but the Madrid native has it in his hands to give a punch on the table. He is the fashionable player and does not want to waste the opportunity to succeed in his city.
Spanish tennis is in luck. After the hard emotional blow caused by Carlos Alcaraz’s new injury, the void that could be left for the fan was great. But, then, almost simultaneously, a breath of fresh air – which points to a gale in a matter of months – begins to confirm that it has everything to make the leap among the best rackets on the planet. Rafa Jodar is signing a shiny tennis shoes and, this Friday, he has a high-level test.
