Rafael Jodar has been one of the standout players on the ATP Tour in 2026 so far, continuing his superb efforts at the French Open.
Jodar reached the quarterfinals of the clay-court Grand Slam in Paris, where he was knocked out by eventual champion Alexander Zverev.
Just before that, the talented 19-year-old reached back-to-back quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome following a semifinal run in Barcelona.
And prior to that, rising star Jodar claimed his first career title in Marrakech, all of which has helped him rise to 23rd in the ATP rankings.
The young Spaniard has already shown he is capable of competing with the game’s biggest stars, a handful of whom he has now named when compiling his perfect player.
Who is the most exciting ATP youngster right now?
There are so many to choose from…
Rafael Jodar suggests the player with the best forehand in ATP history
As per Marca, Jodar was tasked with creating the ideal men’s tennis player based on six significant categories.
And for forehand he picked his fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, with their current rival Novak Djokovic selected for his backhand.
For serve, Jodar chose John Isner, while he picked Roger Federer for his volley.
Federer was also selected for his style, while Jodar opted for the mentality of his compatriot Rafael Nadal.
Who would be on your Mount Rushmore of tennis players?
Rafael Jodar joined by Felix Auger-Aliassime in career-high rank
Jodar’s superb rise has indeed culminated in a career-high rank on the ATP Tour, with the new world number 23 very likely to improve upon that in the near future.
And he isn’t the only player to have achieved a career-high after the French Open, with Felix Auger-Aliassime rising two places to world number four.
The Canadian reached the quarterfinals in Paris before falling to Flavio Cobolli, who incidentally has soared four places to 10th after making the final.
Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Cerundolo has climbed 11 places to 45th after an enjoyable fourth round run in the French capital, which included a shock victory over world number one Jannik Sinner.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
