MADRID (AP) 鈥� 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 鈥� 19-year-old Rafael J贸dar, who has been making headlines in Spain and across the tennis world thanks to a rapid rise through the rankings.
J贸dar, who like Nadal also goes by the 鈥淩afa鈥� 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 .
鈥淭he 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.鈥�
J贸dar 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.
鈥淚 try to handle the pressure as I have done since I was little,鈥� J贸dar said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been a very calm person both on and off the court. I know there鈥檒l be moments when things don鈥檛 go as well as they have in recent tournaments. In those moments, you prove whether you鈥檙e mentally strong. Those moments will also make me stronger.”
J贸dar 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.
鈥淚 knew I was doing things right,” J贸dar said. 鈥淭hese last few months have gone very quickly for me and I鈥檝e played a lot of matches. I can鈥檛 say I could have imagined it. But I鈥檓 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.鈥�
J贸dar, a U.S. Open boys鈥� 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. J贸dar 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.
鈥淚鈥檝e never set myself a goal,鈥� J贸dar told the ATP. 鈥淚 have to take it tournament by tournament, it鈥檚 my first year on tour. I think I鈥檓 still a young player and I鈥檓 discovering a lot at these tournaments. I need to gain experience, compete against these kinds of players. I don鈥檛 set targets for the future, just take it tournament by tournament and do my best.”
Alcaraz, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, called J贸dar “an outstanding player.”
“I鈥檝e been following him and I think he鈥檚 broken into the tour really quickly,鈥� Alcaraz said.
Landaluce’s rise
J贸dar and Landaluce both participated in the Next Gen ATP Finals, the tournament that features the world鈥檚 top 20-and-under singles players of the ATP. J贸dar 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very special to see myself there (in the top 100),鈥� said Landaluce, also a U.S. Open boys’ singles champion. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檝e all wanted to achieve since we were young. I鈥檝e never set a specific ranking goal, but now that I鈥檓 in this position, I believe I can go further, and that鈥檚 what I intend to do.鈥�
The second-ranked Alcaraz recently practiced with Landaluce, whom he called 鈥渁n incredible player.鈥�
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:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
