ACAPULCO, Mexico – Rafael Jódar, 19, secured the most significant victory of his young career on Monday, defeating former Acapulco finalist Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-2 at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. The win propels Jódar to No. 101 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, marking a stunning rise for the Spaniard.

Rafael Jódar celebrates his win against Cameron Norrie in Acapulco. (Image Placeholder)

From Outside the Top 900 to the Top 100

Just twelve months ago, Jódar was ranked outside the Top 900. His recent success includes three ATP Challenger titles, participation in the Next Gen ATP Finals, and now three tour-level wins this year. This victory over Norrie represents a pivotal moment in his burgeoning career.

“I have been travelling a lot, playing a lot of tournaments,” Jódar told ATPTour.com following his victory against Norrie. “I haven’t had two or three weeks at home to relax and [process] what I am doing. But I am just trying to enjoy the process and every step I am taking in this stunning process. I am trying to play all the tournaments I can and enjoy all the places I am able to play and it means a lot to me.”

Rafael Jódar, via ATPTour.com

Dominant Performance Against Norrie

Jódar’s performance against World No. 26 Norrie was remarkably clean. According to Infosys ATP Stats, he committed only six unforced errors and didn’t face a single break point. He is now the fourth man born in 2006 or later to win a match at ATP 500 level, joining Joao Fonseca, Justin Engel, and Diego Dedura.

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“It is a great tournament, great facilities and organisation ” Jódar said. “It is one of my first ATP 500 events and getting my first win here in Mexico means a lot to me. It means a lot for the work I have been putting in and I am super happy.”

Transitioning to Professional Tennis

The 2024 US Open boys’ singles champion decided to leave university tennis behind to pursue a professional career after a successful 2025 season, which included three ATP Challenger Tour titles and a spot in the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF.

“I think I tried to stay focused at every moment of the game,” Jódar explained on the court. “Cameron is a great fighter and I knew that things would get complicated at certain moments. I have tried to be tougher than him in those phases of the match. I am happy to have achieved it and I want to continue in this line.”

Rafael Jódar

Looking Ahead

Jódar will face either Terence Atmane of France or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in the second round of the Telcel Mexican Open presented by HSBC.