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Rafael Jodar is widely seen as the next big thing in tennis, but moving past Jannik Sinner at the very top of the sport won’t be easy.
It’s a familiar story. The 19-year-old may end up like Andy Murray, Andy Roddick or Stan Wawrinka—players whose timing put them up against some of the greatest ever to play the game. He still has some work to do before he’s ready to consistently take on the top two.
Even so, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about his future, and it goes well beyond what he’s shown in matches.
Nobody doubts his physical or technical ability anymore. And after what he said recently, questions about his mindset should start to fade too.
Jodar looks close to being a fully rounded player and could soon become a regular challenger at the very top level of men’s tennis.
Rafael Jodar impresses with remarks following loss to Jannik Sinner
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That point was clear after his comments following the defeat to Sinner, who had been full of praise for the young Spaniard’s performance in their quarter-final meeting at the Madrid Open.
While Sinner spoke highly of Jodar’s level, the 19-year-old took a more reflective tone, looking back on what has been a remarkable month for him.
Jodar’s rise has been hard to miss. He’s taken home a title in Marrakech, made it to the semi-finals in Barcelona, and followed that up with a quarter-final run in Madrid. His aggressive style of play has caught plenty of attention, and it’s helping him climb up the rankings fast.
And judging by what he had to say afterward, he doesn’t seem satisfied just yet.
“I’m taking away the fact that I was able to go toe-to-toe with Sinner in certain moments, but I still have a long way to go to improve,” Jodar said. “Now it’s up to me to analyse what happened so I can change it the next time I play against him.”
Jannik Sinner may dominate in Carlos Alcaraz’s absence
For the last few years, fans have become used to one of Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner walking away with the sport’s biggest titles.
That’s part of why there’s so much excitement around players like Jodar, Joao Fonseca or Arthur Fils, who could shake things up and challenge that duopoly.
But now that Alcaraz has confirmed he won’t be at Roland Garros, there are growing concerns that Sinner might run the table.
Sinner is already a clear favourite to take Madrid before heading home to Rome, where he’ll again be expected to lift another title.
The pressure will build by the time Roland Garros comes around. That tournament is always a different kind of test.
Still, without Alcaraz in the draw, Sinner stands alone at the top. Unless someone new rises quickly, men’s tennis may soon start feeling less competitive than ever.
Read more:
- Jannik Sinner gives verdict on Fonseca and Jodar hype
- Alex Eala reveals who comes out on top when she plays tennis against her brother
- Taylor Fritz among three withdrawals from the Italian Open as retiring player steps in
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