Richard Krajicek has never been shy about speaking his mind, and in an exclusive interview with Tennis365 the 1996 Wimbledon champion made it very clear which young player he believes has what it takes to eventually push Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner off their pedestals: Rafael Jodar.
The 19-year-old Spaniard has had a stunning 2025 after transitioning from college tennis at the University of Virginia. He claimed his first ATP title in Marrakech on his debut clay-court tour event, reached the semi-finals in Barcelona, and then posted quarter-final results in Madrid, Rome, and at Roland Garros. Most recently he reached the Washington Open final, losing to Taylor Fritz but climbing to a career-high ranking of world No. 15 in the process.
Krajicek was particularly struck by what he witnessed firsthand at the French Open, where he watched Jodar battle through a five-set victory over Alex Michelsen from a courtside seat. He described being drawn in not just by the tennis, but by the player's mentality, connection with his father in the coaching box, and the way he fed off the crowd energy.
"I'm so impressed with this guy," Krajicek said, calling Jodar's rise unbelievable and placing him firmly among the next wave of contenders.
Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated the Grand Slam landscape since the beginning of 2024, combining for five of the last 11 major titles. Krajicek also praised Joao Fonseca, Jakub Mensik, Learner Tien, and Ben Shelton as players to watch, noting Shelton's left-handed big serve as a stylistic differentiator. But it was Jodar who received the most enthusiastic endorsement.
TennisDraw users tracking the next generation of stars will want to keep Jodar firmly in their bracket calculations going forward.
