Rafael Jodar’s rapid rise into the top 100: ‘He has a focus I’ve never seen before’ | ATP Tour

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The inside story on Jordahl’s meteoric rise to the top 100: ‘He has a focus I’ve never seen before’

Virginia head coach Andres Pedroso talks to ATPTour.com about Espanyol’s journey

March 30, 2026

Rafael Jodar is the latest addition to the Top 100 list.

The 19-year-old joined the elite group on Monday after reaching the third round at the Miami Open in Itau, his latest success in a whirlwind 12 months.

This time last year, the Spaniard was outside the top 900 in the PIF ATP rankings but was still playing college tennis at the University of Virginia. He has since soared up the rankings, winning three ATP Challenger titles in 2025 and Tour-level victories in 2026 at the Australian Open, Miami, Acapulco, Dallas and Delray Beach.

Born in Madrid, Jordal started playing at the age of six and trains at Chamartín Tennis Club with fellow countryman Martin Landalus, who advanced to the quarterfinals in Miami last week.

Fast forward to 2024, and Jordahl had his greatest success to date in New York, where he won the U.S. Open men’s singles title. The following year was one of the most important chapters in Jordan’s rise. In 2025, the Spaniard chose to play collegiate tennis, a decision that is increasingly becoming a viable and successful path to the professional game.

Under the guidance of head coach Andres Pedroso and assistant coaches Brian Rasmussen and Treat Huey, Jordahl thrived in a high-performance environment, earning ITA Rookie of the Year honors and All-American recognition while continuing to strengthen his competitive identity.

Pedroso first met Jordal as a teenager and recalled that he immediately felt something different about the Spaniard.

“The first time I met him in person was at the U.S. Open Junior Qualifiers — I believe in 2023 — and I was struck by his maturity, his professionalism and the seriousness with which he played,” Pedroso told ATPTour.com after Jordan played in Miami. “He doesn’t look like a junior tennis player. He looks like a professional tennis player in terms of the way he plays.

“Sure, he hits the ball great and he’s a really good hitter with his size. But what impressed me most is how mature a competitor he is and how much of a winner he is.”

That early impression led to recruiting, and Pedroso stayed in contact before Jordahl committed in the spring of 2024, months away from lifting the U.S. Open men’s trophy. At the heart of Jordahl’s rise is a mentality that turns exposure into progress.

“He has an extraordinary ability to be exposed to higher and higher levels of competition and learn from those games and bring that to the training field with his dad and really hone in on the areas where he needs to improve in order to be dominant at this level,” Pedroso said.

“It’s a credit to him and his dad because every time he lost to someone at a higher level than him, they were very focused on what he needed to do to get better. They did a really good job of filling in the holes in his game and his mentality when they faced someone better than him. It’s the seriousness and professionalism and focus they have on the training field that I’ve never seen from a young man that age.”

This practice is visible every day in Charlottesville. The change in Jordan’s mentality can be seen as soon as Pedroso steps onto the court.

“It’s all business. Brian and Treat noticed that, too,” Pedroso said. “I use the word ‘serious’ all the time. He makes the most of every second he’s on the court.”

Learn more about Jordahl
The rise of Jordahl: ‘He’s the most mature 19-year-old you’ll ever see’
Landalus and Hodahl: From Madrid teammates to Jeddah contenders

Another key moment came at the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah, where Jordal served as a hitting partner alongside players such as Arthur Fiers, Jakub Mencic, Joao Fonseca and Lerner Tian.

“I remember when he came back from Next Generation, he hit the ball really hard,” Pedroso said. “I said to myself, ‘He’s hitting the ball so hard, I don’t know if that makes sense’. I remember talking to his dad and he said one of the things he learned there was that those guys hit hard, got the ball early and played aggressive. He saw that and started implementing it right away.”

Jordahl’s journey also highlights the growing importance of college tennis as a developmental pathway, with Ben Shelton and Tian taking a similar path in recent years.

“This is the best path for players who are 18 or 19 years old and haven’t made significant progress on the Challenger Tour,” Pedroso said. “The resources are equal to any player in the top 100. The energy and urgency teaches them how to compete, deal with adversity and pressure. The mental aspect is the most important factor, and college tennis really drives that.”

After giving up his remaining NCAA eligibility at the end of 2025, Jordahl remains focused on continuing to climb the PIF ATP rankings. Pedroso, currently ranked 89th, believes the only way out is Jordan, currently coached by his father Rafael.

“Rafa can play with anyone and have a chance against anyone, but he is humble enough to know that he can lose to anyone,” Pedroso said. “What makes him special is the combination of belief and humility. He believes he can beat anyone but knows he has to be fully prepared. That combination is special and will help him maximize his potential.”