Jodar on verge of smashing record for fastest rise to top 10
The teenage Spaniard's rise to the top of tennis is set to be faster than the sport's modern greats
Rafael Jodar, a 19-year-old tennis player from Spain, is on the brink of setting a new record for the quickest ascent to the top 10 in men's tennis history. After defeating Arthur Fils 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, Jodar currently stands at 11th in the live ATP rankings. If he triumphs in his semi-final match against Brandon Nakashima, he would join the elite ranks unless Ben Shelton reaches the final, in which case Jodar would need to defeat the American as well.
The existing record for the shortest time between breaking into the top 100 and entering the top 10 is held by Boris Becker, who accomplished this in 210 days at the age of 18 in 1985. Should Jodar reach this milestone in Canada, he would do so in just 140 days. Even if he falls short of the top 10 in this tournament, strong performances at the forthcoming Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati or the US Open could still be sufficient to break the record.
Jodar's meteoric rise has surpassed that of other prominent talents in men's tennis such as Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Jannik Sinner. The win against Fils marks Jodar as the first teenager since Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2018 to reach the last eight in Montreal and the first player born in 2006 or later to reach a Masters 1000 semi-final.
Despite only becoming a full-time professional at the beginning of 2026, Jodar's debut season has garnered significant attention and enthusiasm. He secured his first Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open in January and reached the top 100 in rankings on 30 March after reaching the third round of the Miami Open. Jodar's impressive performance in his first year on tour has led most bookmakers to rank him among the top eight favorites to win the US Open in New York next month.
Nadal, who inspired Jodar to take up tennis as a child, refers to his namesake as his idol, and Jodar's playing style is characterized by aggressive baseline shots with heavy topspin and an exceptional serve faster than the tour average.
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