Madrid Masters 2026: Rafa Jódar: “No matter what happens, I will never change” | Tennis | Sports
Before the protagonist arrives on the assembly with this newspaper, his father, additionally Rafael, describes the boy underneath an umbrella as a accountable younger man who’s discovering a brand new world. The affect, logically, has been brutal. Until just lately, there have been hardly any clues for most people of Rafael Jódar (Madrid, 19 years outdated), past the truth that two years in the past (2024) the identify of a younger Spanish boy who triumphed briefly sounded in the junior category of the US Open. That tennis participant would later change Leganés for the University of Virginia and after the dedication to make the definitive leap to the ATP circuit, the explosion has arrived. Today, the Madrid native is among the many forty greatest gamers on the earth and his universe of peace has been radically remodeled.
For instance, the interview with EL PAÍS, which takes place back and forth of the Caja Mágica, strolling, avoiding boundaries and with a number of interruptions in between as a result of Jódar is among the nice points of interest of the event and should rapidly attend to the commitments with the tv stations, make a few movies after which attend to a number of different subjects. “It’s this, or else a couple of minutes sitting…” warns the group. From the lake to the VIP space, and from there to the house reserved for the tennis gamers and their groups, passing via completely different galleries of the macro-facility. “It’s what we have to do,” says the athlete, latest winner in Marrakech —his first trophy in the elite– and semi-finalist at the Godó in Barcelonathe place he knocked down a number of main rivals with astonishing calm. As if he knew the job of working. In the blink of an eye fixed, right here is the brand new growthwith the whole lot that entails.
Today (round 7:00 p.m., Teledeporte and Movistar+) he will make his debut towards the Dutchman Jesper de Jong and his countrymen are eagerly awaiting him.
Ask. Are you conscious of the magnitude it’s reaching? How does a boy who is barely 19 years outdated handle this ball that’s coming his approach?
Answer. Yes, nicely, ultimately I need to hold my ft on the bottom and proceed being the identical humble particular person I have all the time been. Just as a result of he has achieved good outcomes now doesn’t imply that he’s going to be an excellent participant. So, I actually wish to begin this event, to attempt to do my greatest and above all to take pleasure in, as a result of I am nonetheless very younger and nonetheless I have many years left in the circuit; In different phrases, the essential factor now’s to benefit from the course of a little bit extra and the outcomes are secondary.
Jódar is already adopted by 50,000 folks on Instagram, he has a contract with the German multinational Adidas and the ATP is rubbing their arms on the risk that one other distinctive expertise has emerged. “Rafa Reigns” (Rafa Reina), reads one of many messages that seem on his social networks, the place he additionally poses with the footballer Jude Bellingham.
Q. Have you checked how a lot your variety of social media followers has grown in a month right here?
R. To inform you the reality, not a lot. I attempt not to take a look at them an excessive amount of, however moderately be near my family and friends. Sometimes I verify them, however they aren’t a precedence nor have they influenced me greater than essential.
Q. Do you want all this media shenanigans and all this publicity? Do you’re feeling snug?
R. Yes, it is okay, ultimately it is simply one other half. I have spoken with many gamers and I know that it’s one other a part of this career. You do not need to put any further stress on your self and attempt to do it in one of the best ways doable.
I’m not afraid of expectations, however as a result of I do not set any for myself. I should proceed with the standard humility
The dialog is interrupted on the request of the English ATP woman accompanying him. Jódar obeys like a diligent pupil, takes a seat in entrance of the digicam, solutions the questionnaire that’s framed inside a restaurant with trendy furnishings and minimize, and will get again as much as proceed the route. He appears straight forward on a regular basis, his limbs are very lengthy and regardless of his wingspan and peak (1.91), his physique remains to be mild. It transmits lightness and with out the cap, its youth is multiplied.
Q. Although currently he has been telling who he’s and the place he comes from, the sensation is that he’s not capable of totally open up. They say he’s shy. It is?
R. I am a quiet particular person and I attempt to not present my private life an excessive amount of. I attempt to be the identical as when I was a junior or when I was within the United States final yr. I attempt to observe these steps and that path as a result of it’s the lesson that my mother and father have given me. As the years go by you will get to know me a little bit extra.
Q. To what extent can all this noise that’s being generated round him and the comparisons with nice gamers be harmful?
R. Well, ultimately I need to attempt to take pleasure in all this as a result of I’ve simply began, so I need to go by myself and attempt to enhance what I want to enhance, go recreation by recreation, figuring out that the yr could be very lengthy and that there are numerous tournaments on completely different surfaces and with completely different situations. I should attempt to adapt to all this.
Q. Yes, however are you afraid of not assembly expectations?
R. [Risa] Well, no, as a result of I do not set any expectations for myself.
I assume the sacrifices. I know I’m going to overlook out on issues, however I’ll have others that these my age do not have.
Q. But overseas there are…
R. Well, I attempt to not look an excessive amount of on the expectations which are positioned on me. I will attempt to do my greatest, however not solely this season but additionally later.
Apparently, Jódar is calm as regular. The identical factor, precisely, that his father offers off when he feedback on the values which have been instilled in his son. The man, an enormous man of 1.90 (“with age, less…”), is a Physical Education trainer on the institute and college, in addition to a coach. Jódar has no brothers. And, from a structural viewpoint, for now it solely has the determine of its father.
Q. It conveys maturity, being very upright. Is that so?
R. I suppose I am a mature particular person, however you possibly can all the time mature extra. In life you possibly can all the time enhance and you do not all the time attain a most of maturity or tennis. That room for enchancment all the time exists and is all the time good. I contemplate myself mature and attempt to behave in an applicable method.
Given his brief expertise, the tennis participant nonetheless responds from the standard lane each within the subject of press conferences and in interviews. Concise, direct, with none embellishment. Difficult to get a headline from it. He does not need any sort of hassle. He does not appear taken with fame or its adjacencies in any respect. Theirs is simply to competehe has come right here for this.
In life and in tennis there’s all the time room for enchancment. I contemplate myself mature and I attempt to do nicely
Q. At solely 17 years outdated, Alcaraz had a really clear goal and expressed it: to be primary. And you, what do you aspire to be? What would you like?
R. I wish to take pleasure in tennis and never have any severe accidents within the coming months.
Q. And past your personal factor, sports activities, what considerations do you have got? What pursuits the particular person Jódar, not the tennis participant? Do you learn? Cinema, music?
R. Yes, I like listening to music and spending time with my pals. In the top, I have the lifetime of a 19-year-old boy. As we stated, there are some exceptions, as a result of there are issues that can’t be completed, however I merely attempt to deal with it as naturally and usually as doable.
Q. Surrounded by all this, can normality be maintained?
R. I suppose so, in the mean time I’m doing nicely. No matter what occurs, I will all the time be the identical. I will never change.
