Q. Rafa, thank you for your time. How many times, by now, have you heard “another Rafa”?
RAFAEL JODAR: Well, I think it's the first time, the first time, to be honest. It's like it's good. I think it's good to have another Rafa. I think it's just like something, some luck, I think.
It's not common to have two names of, you know, in tennis, but also good, because I think there are many players not called Rafa, but many players from Spain, like Spaniards, that are doing well, not just in juniors but in general, in Futures, from my age, from two years more or two years under. Yeah, I think it's good to have these kind of players.
Q. Have you had the chance to meet the No.1 Rafa? What was that meeting like, if you did?
RAFAEL JODAR: No, no, no. I have never met him, but I would like obviously to meet him one time. But, yeah, I mean, I know he's busy with all the things. He's also preparing for other tournaments for the rest of the season. But I think I know it's difficult, because he has to do many things, but hopefully one day I can, like, have a talk with him.
Q. Was Rafa Nadal your hero?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah. When I was growing up and younger, he was my idol, the person who I admired. And yeah, I watched, like, most of his matches when I was younger, when I was not that good. But yeah, I mean, he's been one of the greatest players in the tennis history, and he's from Spain, so that's very good (smiling). But yeah, we have more players, like Alcaraz right. Very good.
Q. How did you get your start in tennis?
RAFAEL JODAR: I mean, when I was six years old, I joined my tennis club in Madrid called Club de Tenis Chamartín. Since that moment I started playing tennis just with my father, at the tennis club, spending hours there, training a lot. Yeah, it was tough, it was hard, like many times that I had to maybe go somewhere, and I couldn't because of tennis, but at the end I enjoyed so much playing tennis since I was six years old, so that's how I start playing this sport. And I love it.
Q. Tell me now about winning the US Open juniors. In that moment when match point was done, what did you feel and what did it feel like, the emotions, holding the trophy?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, I think everything happened like very, very quickly, very quick. But yeah, I mean, I felt a good feeling about winning this title, because I had been working hard many years to lift this trophy.
Yeah, I mean, I had many other great results, but this one was the best. I also wanted to say thanks when I was doing the speech, you know, after when they gave me the trophy, I wanted to thank the organization, of course, also my coaches and my family who couldn't come to this, to New York, but yeah, all the people in general who support me since I was younger.
It was a great feeling, like, everything is happening like too fast, but I have two or three weeks in Madrid to be, you know, more calmer. Yeah, I was very happy when I won the title.
Q. Then you get an invitation to be part of the Spanish Davis Cup team? Does it feel like it's a bit of a dream, that you're pinching yourself?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, I knew I was coming to the Davis Cup before US Open, so yeah, I actually had my tickets, my flight tickets from New York to Valencia since the first days.
So yeah, of course after winning US Open junior is for me the best reward, you know, about winning the US Open, but yeah, I mean, it's good to win this tournament, like, it's gonna give me confidence. But I have to keep working hard. I think it's just the first step of the journey, so yeah, hopefully I can get better results.
Q. You have said that Rafa Nadal was your hero when you were growing up; I'm assuming you had posters on the wall of your bedroom, but who do you like to watch? How much can you learn from watching those sort of players?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, now Nadal is difficult to watch, but, for example, when I have some free time, I just watch his highlights, you know, in all the Grand Slams he has played.
But, like, nowadays I enjoy watching Alcaraz, Sinner. For me, Sinner is my model to follow. I think he's a great player. He has already won two Grand Slams title.
But yeah, I like those players who not just play tennis but, like, give some show to the crowd, that's very important, their mentality is very good. I'm very thankful for the Federation to give me the opportunity to be here, like sharing everything with them, with Alcaraz, with all the Spanish team. So, yeah, I want to thanks the organization and the Spanish Federation.
Q. I was looking at some records, and I thought this is really actually a little bit amusing. Before you were born, Rafa had already won two French Opens. It's pretty incredible, isn't it?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, yeah, for me, that's crazy that he achieved those titles before I was born. But yes, as I say before, he has been a great player, one of the best from my point of view of the history.
It's going to be difficult to, you know, to have another player, maybe Alcaraz, but, like, we don't know yet, but maybe him to be, to win 22 Grand Slams, as Rafa Nadal, or Djokovic has won 24.
Yeah, I think it's going to be difficult, but hopefully he can reach it.
Q. What is the ultimate goal for you, the No. 1 thing you want to achieve in your career?
RAFAEL JODAR: It's difficult to say something now, because I'm still young. But yeah, I mean, my dream is to be able to compete with these kind of players that I watch on TV, like in every tournament, but yeah, be able to compete. And maybe sometimes I can beat them; sometimes I can get some losses. But in general, to compete against them and be able to be in the big tournaments, like, Grand Slams with chances of winning.
Q. Do you feel, with winning the US Open, being part of the Spanish Davis Cup team, there is a lot of attention now coming on to you and a lot of focus; is it easy to put that to one side, or do you feel a little bit of pressure?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, I mean, right now I don't feel any pressure. I think it's good to, I mean, to have won this tournament. It's always good to win a Grand Slam. But it's just a Grand Slam junior. As I always say, I think this tournament means that I can compete against the players who were born in my age, like 2006, 2007 maybe.
But yeah, this the first steps, so I have to do many, you know, many more steps to reach the top of the tennis, and I think it's a long path. Hopefully I can reach it one day, but as I say, I have to do many things well and keep pushing as I have ever done.
Q. How important do you think it is for you in your development that you're going to go to college in the United States? Virginia, I think it is, right?
RAFAEL JODAR: Yeah, Virginia, but it's a chance that I have there. Yeah, I mean, all, like everything, all the coaches, all the players who are there, like are texting me after US Open that be happy, enjoy the moment. And after all, I can choose whatever I want, so I'm very happy that they give me that confidence. I really appreciate it.
Q. What are you going to study?
RAFAEL JODAR: I don't know yet, but maybe I think at University of Virginia the business school is really good, so maybe I will study that degree. But I'm not sure yet.
Q. The US Open trophy, where is it? Is it by the side of your bed at home or in the lounge room?
RAFAEL JODAR: I actually spent two hours in Madrid when I had to fly from New York to Madrid. I spent two hours there. I do laundry and that stuff. I just put the trophy in my bedroom. When I arrive to Madrid (afterwards) I will have it in a better place (smiling).
