Spanish tennis player Rafa Jódar, 19, has reached the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open after defeating Vit Kopriva with a score of 7-5 and 6-0. This result places him as the third youngest player to achieve this round in the tournament, only behind Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. The victory consolidates his projection on clay.
The technical analysis of a stroke with projection 🎾
Jódar bases his game on a heavy drive and court reading that recalls the Spanish school. His forehand generates tight angles that unsettle the opponent, while the two-handed backhand provides consistency in long rallies. The ability to come to the net at key moments, as in the second set, shows solid tactical development. He still needs to improve his serve to compete with more powerful players.
The curse of third place: now everyone will ask for his autograph 🥖
Being compared to Nadal and Alcaraz comes at a price: from today, every time Jódar goes to buy bread, some fan will ask for a selfie while he chews on a baguette. And watch out, if he loses a match, we'll see the headlines the next day: Jódar, the third one who couldn't handle the pressure of the bread. Good thing he's still young and hasn't had to sign napkins at New Year's Eve dinner yet.