From Madrid Clay to Jeddah Fire: Landaluce and Jodar Rise
Martin Landaluce and Rafael Jodar, Madrid-born rivals since childhood, bring their intertwined paths to the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, where shared dreams meet the pressure of a tough group stage.
The desert winds of Jeddah whip through the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, a world away from the shaded red clay of Madrid’s Chanmartin Tennis Club. Yet for Martin Landaluce and Rafael Jodar, both born in 2006, the pull of those early days lingers like a familiar grip. They traded groundstrokes there since age nine, building a friendship that now sharpens their edge in this 20-and-under clash.
“it’s fun because we’ve known each other since we were nine years old, and he’s been a good friend of mine,” Landaluce told ATPTour.com, reflecting on his relationship with Jodar. “We played many, many times and we were in many tournaments together. There was a time I distanced a bit more to play in better tournaments, but now we are back together here in Jeddah, and it’s nice to have him here.”
Landaluce broke from the pack early, heading to the Rafa Nadal Academy at 14 to chase pro circuits. His heavy topspin forehands started turning heads, culminating in the 2022 US Open boys’ singles title at just 16—a win that locked in his trajectory amid the grind of adapting to pro-level pace.
Separate roads converge in triumph
Jodar, at 6 feet 3 inches, charted a steadier course, staying longer in juniors before claiming the same US Open boys’ crown in 2024. That victory bridged their stories, with Landaluce sensing it lit a fire under his old clubmate. Now a sophomore at the University of Virginia, Jodar balanced NCAA rhythms with a blistering late-2025 Challenger run, snagging three titles and surging over 700 spots to World No. 168.
Their detours highlight the mental tug-of-war in youth tennis: Landaluce’s full-throttle pro push versus Jodar’s college structure, where team drills honed his slice backhands and net poaches. Both draw from Spain’s deep well—Nadal’s unyielding baseline wars and Carlos Alcaraz’s explosive climb to World No. 1—turning inspiration into quiet resolve as they eye deeper runs.
Last year in Jeddah, the event teased their potential: Landaluce waited as alternate, absorbing the shot-clock frenzy, while Jodar fed balls to the field’s best, mapping the intensity from the practice courts. Twelve months later, roles flip—Landaluce enters as fourth seed with his inside-out forehands primed for hard-court bite, Jodar steps in as a full contender, his down-the-line passes cutting sharper after that rankings leap.
Hard courts demand fresh patterns
Jeddah’s indoor hard surfaces strip away the clay’s high bounce, forcing both to tweak their games for quicker exchanges. Landaluce leans on a 1–2 pattern, kicking serves wide to tee up crosscourt forehands that skid low and force errors. Jodar counters with underspin slices to slow the tempo, setting up his height advantage for overhead finishes in scrambles.
In the Blue Group, these adjustments face immediate fire from top seed and last year’s finalist Learner Tien, whose all-court speed demands flawless transitions, and four-time 2025 Challenger champion Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, whose power forehands punish any short ball. The round-robin setup amplifies every point, with no-ad scoring turning tiebreaks into high-wire acts where a single inside-in winner can swing momentum.
“When I won the 2022 US Open, I think he [Jodar] thought, ‘If he does it, why am I not able to do it?’,” Landaluce said. “Then he won it last year, and it’s so good to have this. I think we both are pushing each other, and it’s nice to have a Spaniard here, who is also from Madrid and he’s also from my club.”
“It feels very good to be back here as a player,” said Jodar, who served as a hitting partner in Jeddah last year. “When I was here hitting with these players last year, I was thinking to myself that maybe one day I was going to make it, and fortunately, things were very good this year. At the end of the season, I had very good results and that gave me the opportunity to play here in Jeddah.”
Meeting Nadal in Jeddah last year turned idols into touchstones, a moment that steeled their nerves against the 22-time major champion’s legacy. Alcaraz’s Grand Slam hauls add another layer, reminding them of Spain’s winning thread even as the desert heat tests endurance.
“We’ve had many good Spanish players,” Jodar said. “When Rafa Nadal was finishing his career, Alcaraz came to keep winning Grand Slams for Spain. it’s a great feeling to see Spanish players winning major titles, and I’m super happy how things are going for Alcaraz, he’s a great person.”
Blue group ignites old sparks
As Top 200 peers, Landaluce and Jodar circle back to Chanmartin echoes, where junior duels felt endless under Madrid’s sun. The Blue Group’s brutality could pit them head-to-head, blending nostalgia with pro stakes—Landaluce’s seeded poise against Jodar’s fresh surge, each serve carrying the weight of potential 2026 breakthroughs. Fatigue from Challengers and college lingers, but their mutual push turns pressure into fuel, promising rallies that echo Spain’s resilient spirit.
In the quiet hum before first serves, Jeddah holds the canvas for their next chapter. From alternates to contenders, these Madrid mates stand ready to etch bolder lines, their paths intertwined once more in the chase for glory.
