PARIS — Nineteen-year-old Rafael Jodar kept his surge on clay going at Roland Garros on Wednesday, defeating Australia’s James Duckworth 6-1, 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-5 to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Jodar’s Impressive Clay Court Performance
The 27th seed improved his tour-level clay record to 17-3 through his first 20 matches. In the Open Era, only Andy Roddick started better on the surface, at 18-2. Jodar’s early numbers on clay stack up well against some of the sport’s biggest names: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz each began 13-7, Novak Djokovic opened 10-10, and Roger Federer started 0-11 and stood 6-14 after 20 matches. Nadal owns a record 22 titles at Roland Garros, while Alcaraz is the two-time defending champion.
Jodar’s rise has accelerated this spring. He claimed his first ATP Tour title last month in Marrakech, then made the semifinals in Barcelona and quarterfinals in both Madrid and Rome. His seeding in Paris marks the first time he has been seeded at a major.
Against Duckworth, Jodar steadied himself after dropping the second-set tiebreak. He rallied from a break down in the third set and took a medical timeout for treatment on his upper left leg before closing out a tight fourth set. This resilience showcases his potential as a rising star in the tennis world.
Jodar becomes only the fifth teenager this decade to reach the third round at Roland Garros, joining Jannik Sinner (2020), Alcaraz (2021–22), Holger Rune (2022), and Joao Fonseca (2025). This statistic underlines the significance of his achievement and sets the stage for a promising future.
Next up for Jodar is American Alex Michelsen, who defeated fellow American and friend Nishesh Basavareddy 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. As Jodar continues to build on his momentum, fans eagerly await his performance in the upcoming matches.