Teenage ace Rafael Jódar endures defeat by Cobolli but his star is rising

Nineteen-year-old Spanish tennis player Rafael Jódar lost to Flavio Cobolli 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the fourth round of the Cincinnati Open, despite coming within two points of victory on multiple occasions. Jódar, who only began competing regularly on the ATP Tour in May of the previous year, rose from a ranking of No. 540 in August 2025 to No. 165 at the start of the 2026 season. Despite the defeat, his rapid rise continues to generate significant buzz on the ATP Tour.