Toni Nadal: Jodar Will Soon Be one of Best in World

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook

Toni Nadal has seen tennis’ future. His name is Rafael Jodar.

Writing in his column for Spanish publication El País, Toni Nadal, uncle and original coach of Rafael Nadal, says Jodar is already the best of his generation. Toni Nadal says the 19-year-old man from Madrid will be one of the best in the world in a few years—or possibly in the coming months.

 “Jódar has become, in my opinion, the best player of this new generation and the one with the greatest potential,” Toni Nadal wrote in El País. “I think that, in a few years and, almost certainly I will be wrong and it will be a few months, Rafa will become one of the best tennis players in the world, a firm candidate to complicate the lives of the best players of the moment and to fight to lift the most important tournaments.”

Wild card Jodar thrilled home fans with his inspired run to the Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinals where he lost to No. 1 Jannik Sinner 6-2, 7-6(0).

Despite this defeat, Jodar solidified his status as a dangerous threat for upcoming clay-court tournaments at Rome and Roland Garros. The lanky Jodar can detonate his forehand to destructive effect, can play fearless down the line drives and figures to only get stronger and sharper moving forward.

The Marrakech champion began 2025 ranked No. 896, cracked the Top 200 last November, before breaking into the Top 100 in March. This week, Jodar climbs to a career-high No. 34 in the ATP Live Rankings.

Toni Nadal says Jodar, like No. 1 Sinner and No. 2 Carlos Alacaraz, has finishing power on both wings. The world’s top two are better defenders and coming out of the corners. Toni Nadal says Jodar must improve his defense and ability to extend points. However, Uncle Toni is convinced Jodar has the weapons, discipline and drive to challenge the world’s best players in Grand Slam events.

“Like Alcaraz and Sinner, Jódar is tremendously expeditious and bold when he wants to finish [points],” Toni Nadal wrote for El País. “But, on the contrary, he is still somewhat weak when it comes to defending them. This will be the facet of his game that will have to improve the most in the coming months.

“However, after having seen his evolution tournament after tournament, in a very short time and in a tireless rise, nothing leads me to think that he cannot do it.”