Despite being injured for over four months, Carlos Alcaraz has still enjoyed a very successful season.

The Spaniard started his 2026 in spectacular fashion, becoming the youngest player ever to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open before adding to his title tally at the Qatar Open. Following an indifferent Sunshine Double, Alcaraz made the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters before suffering a wrist injury in Barcelona that ultimately kept him out of action from April until late August.

Just as Alcaraz got injured, another young Spanish player burst onto the scene by the name of Rafael Jodar.

Carlos Alcaraz discusses Rafael Jodar’s breakthrough

Jodar announced himself to the tennis world during the clay swing, where he clinched his first ATP title in Marrakech. The then-teenager went on to reach the semifinals of the Barcelona Open, and the quarterfinals in Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros.

He struggled during the grass-court season, but has since made the final of the Washington Open, the semifinals in Montreal and reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Shanghai. Asked in an interview on the Vienna Open YouTube channel who has surprised him the most this season, Alcaraz did not hesitate to pick his compatriot.

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“I would say Rafa Jodar,” said the seven-time Grand Slam champion. “Rafa surprised me, you know, the way he came through and, you know, staying on the tour and being there, I would say dealing with the expectation.

“And, you know, I would say it feels like that didn’t affect him at all, playing such great tennis during the whole season, being the best player in the world. And right now, I think he’s almost top 10, and it’s unbelievable in his first year. So I would say I kept an eye, you know, on Rafa during the whole season. So it’s been amazing. Proud of him. We are proud of him.”

Alcaraz and Jodar have not yet clashed on the ATP Tour, but the latter has met Jannik Sinner. Jodar had his first battle with the Italian in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open, but lost in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6.

Carlos Alcaraz ‘hopes to see’ Rafael Jodar at the ATP Finals

Jodar’s success this year has meant he now has a great chance to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time in his career. The 20-year-old is currently eighth in the race to Turin, where the year-end tournament will take place.

As it stands, Jodar will become one of four debutants at the ATP Finals, along with Flavio Cobolli, Frances Tiafoe and Arthur Fils. “I would say this year is going to be four or five new people playing the finals for the first time,” said Alcaraz about the ATP Finals lineup. And it’s going to be like, yeah, not weird, but different because of that, because it’s going to be new people around.

“To be honest, I just hope to see Rafa there as well, playing because he deserves it. But, you know, let’s see. I’m looking forward to, you know, going there and see who’s playing because this part of the year is really interesting. You know, the tournaments they’ve been playing to see who’s going to qualify at the end.”

The Paris Masters marks the last big chance for players to pick up big sums of points in pursuit of qualifying for the ATP Finals.