Andy Roddick has named Rafael Jodar ‘the real deal’ as the 19-year-old continues to impress, especially on clay.
Jodar is rapidly rising up the ranks and looks to continue his impressive 2026 with further progression in the Madrid Open but before his round of 16 match, the 19-year-old was the subject of focus for Andy Roddick.
“Thank goodness there is finally a good player from Spain!” Roddick joked on his podcast.
“I’ll tell you this, you look for certain score lines against certain types of players. In our generation, let’s say it was a [Juan Martin] Del Potro coming up, and all of a sudden he takes out a David Ferrer, 6-3, 6-2, you’re going ‘Oh, s—’.
“When a young player goes after the type of player like [Alex] de Minaur, and rolls him, you’re going, ‘Oh, this has something elite attached to it.’
“Is it ball striking? You’re not going to beat De Minaur on craftiness, consistency, and athleticism; there has to be an elite skillset to do that.
“And then, to beat [Joao] Fonseca, this kid is rolling, the real deal!”
The Madrid Open wildcard is set to next face Jannik Sinner, in what would be a first meeting between the two, but even with the hype surrounding him, Roddick has warned fans not to go overboard ahead of the French Open.
MORE NEWS ON T365
* Jannik Sinner calls out Madrid Open organisers as he asks for change after extending win streak
* ‘I’m not sure Carlos Alcaraz will be ready for Wimbledon’, says Spanish tennis legend and expert
* ATP told to make major Grand Slam rule change by Serena Williams ex-coach
“Don’t everyone go crazy if Jodar loses a tough five-setter at Roland Garros.
“You don’t get anointed, you have to earn your place.“
Jodar’s performances have also been commented on by Daniil Medvedev who suggested it was rare to rise up the ranks as quickly as he has done.
“I haven’t seen much, but I watched a bit of the first set yesterday. I think it’s absolutely incredible what he’s doing at his age. Especially considering where he came from, as he was around 900 in the ATP ranking last year.
“Reaching the top 40 so quickly is very rare. He’s a great talent. And then there’s always the question: Will he become someone who reaches the final of every Grand Slam, or is he just a very good player? You never know, but he plays tennis incredibly and it’s fun to watch.”
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.