Spanish Teen Rafael Jodar Joins Nadal, Alcaraz In Exclusive Wimbledon Club After Epic Comeback

Published 3 July 2026 · sports

Spanish Teen Rafael Jodar Joins Nadal, Alcaraz In Exclusive Wimbledon Club After Epic Comeback Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 11:54 IST Spanish teenager

Spanish Teen Rafael Jodar Joins Nadal, Alcaraz In Exclusive Wimbledon Club After Epic Comeback Published By, Last Updated: July 03, 2026, 11:54 IST Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar battled back to reach the Wimbledon third round, becoming only the third Spanish teen after Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz to achieve the feat. Rapid Read Rafael Jodar at Wimbledon (AP) Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar announced himself on one of tennis’ biggest stages after scripting a remarkable comeback to reach the third round at Wimbledon, earning a place alongside Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the history books. The 19-year-old rallied from a set down to beat compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a marathon contest that stretched across two days after bad light suspended play on Wednesday.

With the victory, Jodar became only the third Spanish teenager in the Open Era to reach the men’s singles third round at Wimbledon after Nadal and Alcaraz, underlining why he is increasingly being tipped as Spain’s next bright prospect. The triumph also carried a strong sense of déjà vu. At Roland Garros earlier this year, Jodar had also recovered from two sets down to beat former world No. 10 Carreno Busta in five sets, marking his breakthrough Grand Slam run. He repeated the feat at the All England Club, showing impressive composure after returning on Thursday with the match delicately poised. After levelling the contest, Jodar missed three immediate break points at the start of the deciding set but refused to let the opportunity slip away.

He responded by winning four straight games before serving out one of the biggest victories of his young career. The result is all the more remarkable considering this is Jodar’s first experience playing professional matches on grass. Before this year, his only Wimbledon appearance came in the boys’ event in 2024, where he reached the quarter-finals. “It’s difficult because you don’t have a lot of time to reset your mind and to this new surface," Jodar said after the match. “It’s true it’s my first time playing on grass. I got a good week of preparation here before starting the tournament, so I’m confident with that. I just try to give my best." News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Siddarth Sriram After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas.