Jódar's warning after being swept at the US Open: "Then it could be a problem"

Rafa Jodar He maintained his composure after suffering a painful defeat in his debut in the main draw of the US Open, the tournament he won as a junior in 2024. It was not the elimination, which could fall into the category of a sporting accident, but rather its process. Unexpected 6-2, 6-1 and 6-1 KO of the world number 13.

At 19 years old, revelation of the season, he did not give one against the Chinese Yunchaokete Bu, 24 years old and number 124, who became his rival when the Australian THanasi Kokkinakis he unsubscribed.

The Asian, who had lost in the last round of the qualifying phase, entered as a ‘lucky loser’. Never had a repechado defeated a seed as high as the Madrid player, twelfth.

“This can happen to anyone, we are human. I tried but it wasn’t the day,” said Jódar, who on the previous tour had made the final in Washington, the semi-finals in Montreal and the round of 16 in Cincinnati. Neither the change of rival nor the postponement from Tuesday to Wednesday can explain such a resounding result.

Yunchaokete Bu, surprising executioner of Rafa JódarYuki Iwamura / Ap-LaPresse

“It is the life of a tennis player, learning, experience. He is very young, he comes from playing many matches, he is tired physically and, especially, mentally,” said the Spanish Davis Cup captain, the former player. David Ferrer.

“No, I’m not getting tired,” contradicted him who will be his pupil in a few days within the call of the national team for the tie. Chile-Spain. “I’m new, things like this are going to happen to me,” Jódar tried to reflect, aware that he needs time to assimilate the setback and, above all, take note of everything that happened. “To learn from this and move forward,” said the Leganense.

Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Jódar met for the first time in the Davis Cup team in Valencia 2024. In Chile, the Madrid native will act as No. 1 in the absence of the MurcianM.D.

“If it happens a second time because I haven’t learned this lesson, then it could be a problem,” said Jódar, who throughout the course has been calm, oblivious to the noise of his good career. Also on a day that was not propitious. And he wants to learn precisely everything in this first campaign as a professional. The best lessons for the future are usually learned from defeats.

“He played better and it wasn’t my best day. I tried to control my nerves, but it was a difficult day,” he said. Jodar, without much desire to go deeper into a match that was hurting him because it was too recent. His warning is clear: do not fall into the same trap in the future, let what happened serve as a lesson.