Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Rafael Jodar has earned exceptional results in 2026
ByDaniel AustinBBC Sport senior journalist- Published20 minutes ago
Rafael Jodar is on the verge of breaking the record for the fastest rise to the top 10 in men's tennis history after beating Arthur Fils to reach the semi-final of the Canadian Open in Montreal.
The 19-year-old defeated Frenchman Fils 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 and is now 11th in the live ATP rankings.
Should the Spaniard win his semi-final against Brandon Nakashima, he would enter the top 10 - unless Ben Shelton also makes the final, in which case Jodar would require a victory against the American too.
The current record for the shortest time between reaching the top 100 and then making the top 10 belongs to Boris Becker, who managed it in 210 days aged 18 in 1985.
If Jodar achieves the feat in Canada, he will do so in just 140 days.
Even if the Spaniard can't quite make it over the line in this tournament, good performances at the upcoming Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati or at the US Open would still very likely be enough to break the record.
Jodar's exceptionally quick rise has far outstripped those of men's tennis' 21st century greats.
It took compatriot Carlos Alcaraz 336 days to move from the top 100 to the top 10, while Novak Djokovic managed it in 623.
Both Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner did it in 735 days, and Roger Federer in 973.
The record in women's tennis is 203 days, set by Jennifer Capriati in 1990 when she was only 14.
The win over Fils means Jodar has become the first teenager since Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2018 to reach the last eight in Montreal, and he is the first player born in 2006 or later to make a Masters 1000 semi-final.
He has one tour title to his name, winning the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco on clay earlier this year.
Who is Jodar and why is he so highly rated?
Jodar only became a full-time professional at the beginning of 2026, but his debut season has drawn major attention and widespread excitement.
He earned his first Grand Slam win on his debut at the Australian Open in January, before reaching the top 100 in the rankings on 30 March by making it to the third round of the Miami Open.
Jodar was in the top 50 by 20 April, having secured his first win over a top 10 player, beating Australia's Alex de Minaur in his home city Madrid.
His back-to-back quarter-final appearances in Rome and Madrid were the first by a teenager since Nadal 21 years prior.
He then made the quarter-finals of Roland Garros in June and was knocked out by eventual winner Alexander Zverev, before reaching the third round at Wimbledon.
His incredible record in his inaugural year on tour means most bookmakers have placed him among the top eight favourites to win the US Open in New York next month.
It was Nadal who inspired Jodar to take up tennis lessons as a child - he refers to his namesake as his idol, and Jodar's game is defined by an aggression not entirely dissimilar from Nadal's.
At 6ft 3in, he hits heavy, high-speed shots loaded with topspin from the baseline that are designed to force opponents into submission.
His serve is several miles per hour faster than the tour average and his attacking style means he is prone to taking risks on big points and in rallies.
His playing style is much more similar to the relentless hard-hitting of current world number one Sinner, than the playful variety of Alcaraz.
With both Sinner and Alcaraz currently out with injury, Jodar's rapid ascent could mean he announces himself as the pair's most serious long-term threat in the coming weeks.
