Rafael Jódar continues to surpass all expectations in his first full season as a professional. The 19-year-old already has an ATP Tour title to his name and is enjoying a Cinderella run at the Madrid Open, his hometown tournament. He faces World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinal on Wednesday, April 29.
As he continues to scale new heights, here’s the lowdown on Jódar and the people in his camp cheering him on to success.
Rafael Jódar’s Path To Tennis Stardom
Born in 2006, Jódar began playing tennis at age 4. He idolized his namesake, the Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal, growing up. He also calls Sinner his role model.
“I’ve watched a lot of Sinner. I think his game is pretty similar to mine and I see some things in my game that I can reach… that level. Sinner has always been like a role model,” he told Cracked Racquets in 2025.
The Madrid native took an unusual path to tennis, especially for European prospects. Rather than turning pro, he attended the University of Virginia in 2024. His coaches at UVA were “blown away by his maturity, his professionalism, the seriousness that he competed with,” as head coach Andres Pedroso revealed to the ATP.
Jódar quickly began showcasing his talent at the junior level and won the US Open junior title in 2024. More success followed at the Challenger level in 2025, before Jódar made his Grand Slam debut in 2026, making the second round of the Australian Open.
He then reached the third round of the Miami Open before winning his first title on the ATP Tour at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Morocco.
Jódar then reached the semifinals in Barcelona before claiming his first win over a top-10 player, dismantling Alex de Minaur at the Madrid Open.
Jódar’s Family and Coach
Jódar is supported by his father, who also shares his name. His father has supported him throughout his tennis journey and still remains his coach. While most tennis players have entire teams supporting them from their box, Jódar’s father is the only one in his box at the Madrid Open.
“My dad, he has been my biggest support my whole life. He wants the best for me, so that’s why he always takes care of me in the best way possible. We’ve had so many good times together, and we’ve enjoyed a lot of the journey,” he said via the ATP.
In addition, Jódar was also supported by UVA assistant coach Brian Rasmussen at the 2026 Australian Open. While Virginia teammate Iñaki Montes-De La Torre was in his box in Barcelona.
But the main support system throughout Jódar’s fledgling tennis career has been his father. “The team has always been my father and me; for now we are not going to change it because it’s something that’s working,” he added.
MORE: Jannik Sinner’s and Rafael Jódar’s Comments Ahead of Madrid Open Match
Jódar has already broken records and continues to leave the tennis world in awe with his extraordinary performances. As he continues to scale new heights, the whole of Spain will be cheering him on.
