Teenage ace Rafael Jódar endures defeat by Cobolli but his star is rising
Spaniard loses narrowly in fourth round of the Cincinnati Open yet the buzz around him will only get louder
TL;DR
- Rafael Jódar lost in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open to Flavio Cobolli after being close to victory.
- Jódar has had a breakout year, winning his first ATP title, reaching another final, a Grand Slam quarter-final, and Masters 1000 semi-finals and quarter-finals.
- His ranking has dramatically improved from No. 540 in August 2025 to No. 11.
- Jódar is known for his powerful shot-making, immaculate timing, and elite ability to change direction of the ball.
- His sportsmanship has been a point of discussion, with issues raised about medical timeouts, shoelace delays, and his treatment of ballkids and volunteers.
- Despite controversies, Jódar's rapid development as a player and his character are being closely watched.