“It’s like, we’re in the clay season,” Jodar said simply, introducing his own variation on namesake Rafael Nadal’s famous “What happened in Madrid happened…” monologue. “After Madrid, you have Rome and then you have a week to prepare for French Open. So, you have to recover very well, get your body healthy and try not to get injured. I think that’s the most important thing. Everyone here wants to win. It’s a Masters 1000, so they try to give their best level. I just have to try and be there and if I can, win it.”
And now here we are, in Rome.
Through a meteoric rise, Jodar has relied on support from a solid team, one that includes his father—also named Rafael.
“It’s a great connection, and it’s great to have him in the good but more importantly in the bad moments,” Jodar said. “He’s always there when I need him. He’s always trying to help me and that’s very important. I’m super grateful he’s able to travel with me to all the tournaments and that he’s there because I know it’s not easy to be with the same person for a long time. But I think he’s doing a great job and I’m super grateful he’s in my corner.”
Jodar will take on Arnaldi for a spot in the fourth round this weekend; in the opposite half of the draw from Sinner, the youngster can’t face the top seed again before the final, but he could take on No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev should both reach the quarterfinals.
