Rafael Jódar
Rafael Jodar Pronunciation
- 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year
- 2025 All-ACC First Team
2024-25
- ACC Freshman of the Year, becoming the eighth player in program history to earn the honor
- All-ACC First Team in singles
- Joined the team in January
- Reached career-high No. 6 in the ITA Singles rankings on April 15
- Reached No. 70 in the ITA Doubles rankings with James Hopper on March 18
- Made collegiate debut at No. 15 South Carolina (1/16) on court two
- Picked up first collegiate win against Old Dominion (1/19), topping No. 88 Cosme Rolland de Ravel in straight sets
- Earned ACC Freshman of the Week (2/4) after defeating No. 3 Timo Legout 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3 on the top court in Virginia’s 4-3 win over No. 1 Texas. He also topped No. 64 Will Jansen of Ohio State 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
- Earned second straight ACC Freshman of the Week honor (2/11) after topping No. 23 Thomas Paulsell 6-3, 6-2 in UVA’s 5-2 win at Georgia
- Won third straight ACC Freshman of the Week honor (2/18) after a 2-0 week in singles, highlighted by a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 16 Braden Shick in UVA’s 4-1 victory over No. 19 NC State. Jódar also defeated No. 109 Gavin Young 6-3, 6-2 in Virginia’s 4-2 win over No. 20 Michigan
- Topped No. 24 Braden Shick of NC State 6-3, 6-4 (3/7)
- Picked up first ranked doubles victory, topping No. 12 Luca Staeheli and Jules Leroux of NC State 6-4 (3/7)
- Defeated No. 5 DK Suresh Ekambaram of Wake Forest 6-2, 6-4 (3/9)
- Won fourth ACC Freshman of the Week honor after picking up two victories over top 25 opponents in the ITA Singles Rankings (3/11)
- Topped No. 9 Carl Emil Overbeck 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) of then-No. 14 Cal on the top court (3/21)
- Picked up first career ATP Challenger Tour wins, reaching the semifinals of the Morelos Open
Background
- 2024 Junior US Open Boys Singles Champion
- Career-high ITF Junior Ranking of No. 4, reached in September 2024, a ranking that held through the end of the year and the end of his junior career
- Singles finalist at the ITF WTT 25K in Denia, Spain in July 2024
- Advanced to the quarterfinals at the ITF WTT 25K in Vic, Spain, in May 2024
- Made his ATP Challenger debut at the Villena (Spain) Challenger in September 2024, falling in the first round
- Won the U18 grass tournament in Roehampton prior to his run at 2024 Junior Wimbledon
- Advanced to the 2024 quarterfinals in doubles and singles at Junior Wimbledon
- Won five ITF Juniors titles in 2023, including the J300 in Sanxenxo, Spain
- Advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2024 Junior French Open
- Made his Junior Grandslam debut at the 2023 US Open