Rafael Jodar will contest the Madrid Open final on Sunday after a year-long ascent from college tennis at the University of Virginia. According to Tennis Majors, the wildcard has already defeated a top-10 player this week—Alex de Minaur—and carries a career-high ranking of No. 42 into the match.
Jodar's 2026 clay-court record stands at 10 wins and one loss, including a title captured in Marrakech. Twelve months prior, he was ranked No. 896 in the world, making his emergence at the ATP Masters 1000 level one of the tour's most improbable stories of the spring season. His run at the Caja Magica underscores the unpredictability of professional tennis and the potential for rapid advancement through the rankings when form and opportunity align.
The final will take place in the night session at Madrid's showcase court. Jodar's opponent is Mariano Fonseca, though the source does not provide details of that semifinal result.
Sources
- Tennis Majors: Madrid's court of the future: Jodar vs Fonseca, the night session you can't miss. Published 2026-04-26.
Reported from public sources.