THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2026

Rafael Jodar

Press Conference

R. JODAR/P. Carreno Busta

3-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Rafa, through to the next round. If you could just talk us through your emotions.

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, it was a great feeling obviously being in the third round during my first appearance in Wimbledon. It's very special for me. So super happy with the win and how the things went in the match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions in English.

Q. Great win. Your first time having to deal with the postponements to the next day, and then obviously you're playing again tomorrow. How did you deal with that yesterday also knowing of course you're down?

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, exactly. I knew I had to get my body ready for the next day, because obviously I was down. But I believed in my chances. I believed that I could, you know, come back and win the fourth set and then the fifth set. That's what happened.

I started pretty well, I think, this morning. And I knew the conditions were different, you know, so I had to adapt to that, as well. But for him, it was same. So it's same conditions for both.

And, yeah, I think I did a great job when we stop the match last night until I step on the court this morning.

Q. What were the preparations? What did they look like last night? Are you doing anything differently at all?

RAFAEL JODAR: No, just tried to do the same routine, I think, like, all the routines that if I had finished the match.

And yeah, I mean, I knew I was playing second on today, so get a good warm-up, you know, get to the club as soon as possible to get ready for the match. And I knew it wasn't going to be that long, because we were going to just play two sets.

But even that is like four-and-a-half, five set, you know that it's always very with a lot of nerves and important moments during those two sets.

Q. Just before the match ended last night, you had some treatment, I think, on your leg maybe. Can you talk about that and how important that was to have a break maybe.

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, things have happened you know, during the match. We were playing for, I think, two-and-a-half hours last night. I think we both knew that the possibility of, you know, going to the next day was high, because the match was going to a fourth set.

So, yeah, I started feeling something in my foot. But it's all good. I recovered well, and I got ready, you know, in the best way possible for today.

Q. Many players have tough time to make a transition from clay to grass. How do you manage to make this very quick adjustment from clay to grass? How much are you confident on grass court?

RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, it's difficult, because you don't have a lot of time to reset your mind and to this new surface. It's true it's my first time playing on grass. It wasn't like that when I started playing on clay this season, because I had already played a lot when I was younger on clay. So, yeah, I just try to adapt.

I got a good week of preparation here in Wimbledon the week before starting the tournament, so I'm confident with that. I try to give my best.

But obviously knowing that every opponent is very tough, and if you want to win the matches and to beat the opponents, you have to play very well and play good during a lot of times of the match.

Q. 'Rafa' is household name in tennis. How has Rafa Nadal shaped your mentality, maybe your playing style or your belief that you can be a really good player?

RAFAEL JODAR: Well, Rafa has been a role model for me tennis-wise since I was a kid. I used to watch all his matches, all the grand slams, all the victories that he won through his year career. So yeah, it's very inspiring for the young players from Spain to see someone like Rafa or even Carlos doing that well in those stages.

So those players are, you know, role models for us. And, you know, we're super grateful that we are from the same country as them.

Q. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seemed to have some friends in your box today. How have you found the first six months on the main tour this year? Have you made a group of friends in the players group, or do you like to bring your friends along to tournaments?

RAFAEL JODAR: Well, I think inside the tour, everyone has a team, you know. Obviously we have a great relationship, because we see each other in every tournament, but it's always good that if some friends.

Now it's better, because it's summer, so they don't have class, they don't have school. If they can come and cheer for me, it's great to see them. People from my country, that they can cheer in my language. That's great.

To see them there, you know, I have always practiced with them when I was in Madrid. That's something very special to see them happy, as well.