Sinner is leading the way, and Alcaraz has already shown he can win Grand Slams. But will a third player emerge to join them, as happened in the era of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic? Maybe so!
Jodar will only turn 20 in mid-September. But he’s already knocking on the door of the top 10 and has broken several records during the 2026 season. Believe it or not, even John McEnroe or Andy Roddick weren't as good as he is when they first hit the big stage.
Indeed, if you exclude team competitions, Jodar ranks top in history among teenagers in their first 50 ATP Tour matches. His record stands at 35-13, and he can still improve that this week.
Another hugely impressive feat is not far from Jodar's grasp. He is currently just three wins away from breaking Boris Becker’s 41-year-old record.
In 1985, Becker made headlines with his meteoric rise to the elite level. It’s been more than four decades since his record was set for the shortest time between breaking into the top 100 and reaching the top 10: 210 days.
However, Jodar could soon surpass that mark, and comfortably. If he wins the Canadian Open in Montreal, he’ll set a new record in this regard of just 140 days.
And if he doesn’t manage it? He could still pick up more points in Cincinnati or at the US Open. Simply put, Becker's record is very close to being broken.
Jodar's dominant run in Canada, where he has already defeated Lorenzo Musetti and Jiri Lehecka among others, is another unique achievement.
So far, only two players before him managed to reach three consecutive Masters quarter-finals as teenagers: Nadal and Alcaraz. This shows that Jodar is following in his compatriots' footsteps.
And he still hasn’t needed to look for help outside his family. His father, who introduced him to tennis, sits in his coaching box.
"I really appreciate that he travels with me every week. It means a lot to me. He started teaching me tennis when I was four years old, and ever since I was young, he reminded me every day to play tennis just for fun. That was the main goal. I’m very grateful to him, especially for that philosophy," Jodar said last week at the tournament in Washington, where he reached the final.
