A strong group of ATP players has reached the same conclusion: Rafael Jodar is the leading young name in men’s tennis right now.

The Spaniard started the 2025 season at No. 895 while still at the University of Virginia. By the close of the year, the 19-year-old had climbed to No. 168, decided to turn professional, and set off on an even steeper rise in 2026.

That progress has been extraordinary. Earlier this month, Jodar moved to a career-high of No. 11, and he remains in position to challenge Boris Becker’s record for the fastest climb from the top 100 into the top 10.

His form has also placed him ninth in the ATP Tour Race, with a place at the ATP Finals in Turin later this year looking increasingly plausible. Among players 21 and under, only Learner Tien, Jakub Mensik, and Joao Fonseca are anywhere near him in the NextGen conversation.

With the US Open approaching, Jodar is aiming for another deep run after reaching the French Open quarter-finals earlier this year. Several established players have already pointed to him as the breakout candidate for Flushing Meadows.

Matteo Berrettini told ATP Tour, “I feel like there are so many young guys that are so good already; they are stars already.

“The first name that comes to mind is Jodar. He’s top 20 in the world. So he’s not really a rising star; he is a star already.”

Alex De Minaur also selected Jodar, while Casper Ruud named the Spaniard or Tien. Karen Khachanov added, “Jodar. I think everybody’s now speaking about him. Really fast development and progress over the last four, five months.”

The praise has not stopped there. Toni said, “I am liking Rafael Jodar a lot because of what I have seen. It seems to me that it is the best of the new generation,” and later added that he does not see him in the same class as Carlos Alcaraz, but believes he can trouble the best players in the world.

Concern is rising over Casper Ruud’s US Open prospects after video surfaced of the Norwegian looking uncomfortable during a practice hit.

The 27-year-old’s build-up to the final major of the year has already been interrupted. He suffered an early defeat in Canada and later withdrew from Cincinnati because of injury. In his opening match at that final Masters 1000 event before Flushing Meadows, Ruud lost the first set to Christopher O’Connell, then took a medical timeout. The back problem affecting him did not ease, and the former US Open finalist retired while 2-1 ahead in the second set.

There had been some signs that the issue might have settled after he teamed up with Diana Shnaider in the mixed-doubles event earlier this week. The pair reached the quarter-finals before losing to Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev.

Ruud’s own social media post on Wednesday also suggested he was ready to turn his focus to singles. He thanked the Russian for a “fun event”, while looking ahead to the main draw.

Later that day, though, footage emerged of him appearing to struggle while hitting with Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. On social media, prominent tennis presence, @AnnaK-4ever, said Ruud ended the session more than an hour early, that he “couldn’t serve” and that even the groundstrokes caused him “considerable pain”.

This has been a difficult season by his standards. Ruud is 25-16 in 2026 and has slipped to No 20 in the rankings. His best campaign came in 2022, when he won 51 matches, lost 22 times and finished third in the world. He ended 2023 at No 11, moved up to No 6 in 2024, and was No 12 at the close of 2025 with a 71% win rate. In 2026, that figure has fallen to 61%.

With 20 players already withdrawing from the US Open due to injury, Ruud’s latest setback has only added to the uncertainty. If he does not pull out, he may still be limited in New York.

In a clip shared on the ATP Tour’s social media channels, a group of leading players were asked to name the man they believe will win the US Open this year.

Tommy Paul, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Lorenzo Musetti, Alex Michelsen and Matteo Arnaldi were all put on the spot. The responses produced a mix of self-belief and respect for the biggest names in the draw.

Only Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe chose themselves. The rest of the group leaned toward Carlos Alcaraz, Learner Tien, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic.

Fritz was direct when asked for his pick, replying: “Me.” When pressed to justify that answer, he added: “You have to…”.

Tiafoe showed the same conviction, saying: “I’m backing myself. It’s time to start believing in it. I’ve flirted with it.”

The ATP Tour’s picks to win the US Open

Taylor Fritz – himself

Frances Tiafoe – himself

Lorenzo Musetti – Alexander Zverev

Matteo Arnaldi – Novak Djokovic

Tommy Paul – Learner Tien

Alex Michelsen – Carlos Alcaraz

With Alcaraz and Djokovic widely viewed as the main title favourites, the reluctance of others to back themselves was striking. It underlined the standing those two, along with Zverev, have built against the chasing pack.

Still, Fritz and Tiafoe deserve credit for their confidence. Both have already shown they can perform well at this event. Tiafoe has reached two semi finals at Flushing Meadows, while Fritz made the final in 2024 before losing in straight sets to Sinner.

That result may matter less now, with Sinner having confirmed he will not play the US Open this year.

The main draw begins on Sunday, 30th August, and the draw will be made on Thursday, 27th August, when Alcaraz, Djokovic, Tiafoe and Fritz learn their first opponents.