French Open 2026: Meet Rafael Jodar - the teenager planning to conquer Roland Garros like Rafael Nadal

Rafael Jodar is only the fifth man this century to reach the French Open quarter-finals on his main-draw debut Whisper it quietly: there is a new Rafa in town at the French Open. No sooner had 14-time champion Rafael Nadal waved goodbye than Rafael Jodar - the latest talent from the Spanish production line - announced his arrival. Last year, 19-year-old Jodar was a university student ranked 707th in the world when Nadal, who had retired several months earlier, was given an emotional Roland Garros send-off. Now, on his main-draw debut on the Paris clay, Jodar has emerged as a dark horse for the Coupe des Mousquetaires. If the 27th seed can find a way past German Alexander Zverev in Tuesday's quarter-final, he will become the new favourite to be victorious on Sunday. "On one hand, it would have been unthinkable a few months ago that Jodar could even be competing in a Grand Slam," Spanish tennis journalist Alejandro Ciriza told BBC Sport. "But, on the other hand, his progress has been so rapid that it seems natural that he should be playing in the later rounds of such tournaments." Will Sabalenka and Osaka open door for women's night sessions? Williams, 44, to return to action in Quee