By Scoop Malinowski
One of the great sages of tennis Pancho Segura knew what separated champions from contenders. “All the great champions are vicious competitors.”
The most vicious competitor in the ATP World Tour today is without a doubt 19 year old Rafael Jodar of Spain. You can see it in his eyes and aura on the court. The kid is not here to enjoy the Tour life and make a lot of money, he is here to be the best and decimate the competition.
Jodar hasn’t even had a full season on Tour yet but he has a match record of 34-13 in 2026. Even better, the rookie is a clutch player who can summon his best shots when it matters most – Jodar is an astounding 14-3 in deciding set matches this year.
This week in Cincy Jodar beat Shapovalov 75 in the third set from a 15 deficit. Jodar’s furious intensity and suspected gamesmanship tactics such as manipulating broken shoelaces to stall a match and ice an opponent are beginning to become controversial topics in the sport with fans and media. Jodar doesn’t care, he is here to do a job and that’s win matches by any means necessary.
Jodar’s qualities as a champion may remind some tennis observers of a few great former champions. The burning rage and emotional adrenaline remind of a young Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt, who both did not care about dethroning the beloved and idolized corporate champions. The ambitions of young Novak and Hewitt rubbed a lot of players and fans the wrong way but they could not have cared any less. To be the best is what this business is really all about.
Jodar is unashamed about his instinctive desire to be the king of tennis. “I always want bigger things… I’m not even a full year on the Tour… I’m an eager person… The mental part really helps me in matches.”
History repeats itself. The Federer Nadal duopoly was not supposed to be invaded by any outsider third party such as Novak Djokovic but it was. They tried to deny and stonewall Djokovic from reaching the throne but he smashed his way to it and destroyed the legacies of Federer and Nadal.
The same formula seems to be in play again with the Carlos/Sinner duopoly firmly established to run the sport for many years. But Rafael Jodar is without a doubt the most formidable fearsome threat to rampage into the top ten and the most likely candidate to keep surging upwards and onward to the world no. 1 ranking.
Jodar is ranked 11 right now but it’s only a matter of time before he ascends another ten more ranking spots.
Just imagine how devastating Jodar will be with two or three years of more experience on the ATP World Tour.
“To be the best at anything you have to get blood on your hands.” – Philip H. Anselmo
adidas · Head tennis · Rafael Jodar
Sam · September 1, 2026 at 3:13 am
I’ve heard some people say he’s a big cheater too.
Scoop Malinowski · September 1, 2026 at 8:45 am
Sam, Jodar looks like a fine young gentleman to me, with an incredible ruthless unstoppable desire to be the best.