A new 'Rafa' rises in Spain as Rafael Jódar storms into top 50 before Madrid Open debut

Madrid Open Spain's Emerging Talents Tennis

FILE - Rafael Jodar of Spain plays a forehand return to Rei Sakamoto of Japan during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin,File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Miami Open Tennis

Martin Landaluce, of Spain, acknowledges is fans as he leaves the court after losing to Jiri Lehecka, of the Czech Republic, in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) MADRID (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz is only 22 years old but there's already talk about the next generation of talented Spanish tennis players. And one of them has the same first name of all-time great Rafael Nadal — 19-year-old Rafael Jódar, who has been making headlines in Spain and across the tennis world thanks to a rapid rise through the rankings. Jódar, who like Nadal also goes by the “Rafa” nickname, made it to the top 50 just ahead of his debut at the Madrid Open on Wednesday. Another promising star is 20-year-old Martin Landaluce, who just recently broke into the top 100 in the men's rankings. They will be among the crowd favorites in the Spanish capital after Alcaraz withdrew because of a wrist injury. “The two of them will mutually help each other to keep improving and reach the top," Alcaraz told the ATP Tour. "They have a great future.” Jódar was outside the top 600 just a year ago. He entered the top 100 in March and is up to No. 42 in the world in the latest ATP rankings released on Monday. “I try to handle the pressure as I have done since I was little,” Jódar said. “I’ve always been a very calm person both on and off the court. I know there’ll be moments when things don’t go as well as they have in recent tournaments. In those moments, you prove whether you’re mentally strong. Those moments will also make me stronger." Jódar advanced to the semifinals in Barcelona after three straight-set wins. He lost in three sets to eventual champion Arthur Fils in the semifinals. The Spaniard won his first tour-level trophy in Morocco earlier this month. “I knew I was doing things right," Jódar said. “These last few months have gone very quickly for me and I’ve played a lot of matches. I can’t say I could have imagined it. But I’m very happy to have started the clay swing like this, having played so many matches gives me a lot of confidence for this Madrid tournament.” Jódar, a U.S. Open boys’ singles champion, competed for the University of Virginia last year before deciding to turn pro. The Madrid native will make his debut in the Madrid Open against 109th-ranked Jesper de Jong. Jódar said he used to come to the Madrid Open as a spectator when he was younger. He also joined Spain's 2024 Davis Cup team to help the team train. “I’ve never set myself a goal,” Jódar told the ATP. “I have to take it tournament by tournament, it’s my first year on tour. I think I’m still a young player and I’m discovering a lot at these tournaments. I need to gain experience, compete against these kinds of players. I don’t set targets for the future, just take it tournament by tournament and do my best." Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, called Jódar "an outstanding player." "I’ve been following him and I think he’s broken into the tour really quickly,” Alcaraz said.

Landaluce's rise

Jódar and Landaluce both participated in the Next Gen ATP Finals, the tournament that features the world’s top 20-and-under singles players of the ATP. Jódar beat Landaluce, but both failed to advance past the round robin. Landaluce, a member of the Rafa Nadal Academy, arrived at the Madrid Open ranked No. 99 after having reached the quarterfinals in Miami for his best-ever finish in an ATP Masters 1000 event. He fell to Jiri Lehecka in the last eight. “It’s very special to see myself there (in the top 100),” said Landaluce, also a U.S. Open boys' singles champion. “It’s something we’ve all wanted to achieve since we were young. I’ve never set a specific ranking goal, but now that I’m in this position, I believe I can go further, and that’s what I intend to do.” The second-ranked Alcaraz recently practiced with Landaluce, whom he called “an incredible player.” The other Spaniards in the top 100 are Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at No. 24, Jaume Munar at No. 38, Roberto Bautista Agut at No. 93 and Pablo Carreno Busta at No. 94. \\\_ AP tennis: