The 2024-2025 recruiting class for the University of Virginia might be one of the strongest college tennis recruiting classes ever.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, that meant their best players wouldn’t be staying long. Joao Fonseca never even played college tennis, opting to turn pro immediately. Rafael Jodar did play a semester at Virginia, but followed Fonseca to the ATP Tour rather than return for his sophomore season.
The decision has paid off. Both Fonseca and Jodar can call themselves ATP champions, and right now Fonseca is in the World’s Top 30 while Jodar is hovering just below it, at a new career high of No. 36. And, for what it’s worth, Virginia men’s tennis is still a Top 5 team in the country.
Fonseca and Jodar never got the chance to be teammates. But now, as they’re set to face off in the third round of Madrid, they have the chance to be rivals.
Jodar’s Start at Virginia
In his only season with the Cavaliers, Jodar quickly established himself as one of the best players in college tennis. He went 19-3 in singles, led Virginia to a quarterfinal showing in the NCAA Tournament, and ended the year at No. 4 in the college singles rankings.
Had Fonseca been on that team as well, the 2024-2025 Cavaliers very well may have been one of the best college tennis teams of all time. But Jodar still elevated Virginia to a stellar level at the top singles spot, and that was a path that eased him into professional form.
Fonseca’s Breakout Season
Fonseca took a different path.
He won the Next Gen Finals at the tail end of 2024, and while Jodar was getting started at Virginia, Fonseca notched a Top 10 win in the first round of the 2025 Australian Open. And he only continued to shine from there, winning his first title and rising in the rankings. He made the third round at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and added an additional title to his shelf at the end of the season when he won Basel. He ended the season at his career high of No. 24 in the world and cemented himself as one of the best young stars on the ATP Tour.
Jodar has traced many of Fonseca’s steps. He didn’t win the 2025 Next Gen Finals, but he did get an upset win over top seed Learner Tien. Jodar qualified for the 2026 Australian Open and made the second round, much like Fonseca did in 2025. And Jodar also won his first title at a clay 250.
Now, separated by just seven spots in the ATP rankings, Fonseca and Jodar will play each other for the first time on a professional stage.
The Matchup
Fonseca and Jodar have very similar strengths and weaknesses. They’re both utterly explosive from the ground, especially on the forehand wing. Neither possess a standout serve, but it isn’t a glaring issue for either. What both Fonseca and Jodar have to overcome is inexperience. The raw talent that both of them have comes with the caveat of overcompensating and simply going for too much at times.
Being on Tour for a year longer, Fonseca has the advantage in the experience department, but Jodar has shown that doesn’t shake him considering his upset of No. 5 seed Alex de Minaur in the second round on Friday. And Jodar has the crowd on his side–an advantage usually held by Fonseca.
Ultimately, the match is hard to predict. Fonseca and Jodar have both been playing great tennis, and they’ve been on even footing ever since Virginia recruited them two years ago. Their paths didn’t intertwine then, but they’re set for quite the clash now.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images