Rafael Jodar needed 3 sets to get past Matteo Arnaldi and Learner Tien appears to be improving on clay. I think Jodar will get through in Rome, but I might not be as easy as the odds suggest.
| Rafael Jodar | Learner Tien | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Spain | United States |
| Age | 19 (17 September 2006) | 20 (2 December 2005) |
| Height | 6'3" (1.91m) | 5'11" (1.80m) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Left-Handed |
| World Ranking | 34 | 21 |
| Career High | 34 (May 2026) | 21 (March 2026) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 1 | 1 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 1 | 0 |
| Grand Slam Titles | 0 | 0 |
| ATP Rome Best Result | First Appearance | Second Round (2025) |
HTH
Rafael Jodar is 1-0 against Learner Tien.
| Year | Event | Surface | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Next Gen Finals | Indoor Hard | RR | Jodar | 1-4 4-3 1-4 4-2 4-3 |
Jodar Closing in on Top 20
Rafael Jodar has risen from 165 to 34 in the rankings this year, winning his first ATP Tour title in Marrakech. He went deep in Barcelona, cruising into the semi-finals where he lost in 3 sets to Arthur Fils.
The 19-year-old is coming off another solid performance in Madrid. He beat Alex de Minaur and Joao Fonseca on his way to the quarter-finals where he went down 6-2 7-6 to Jannik Sinner.
The Spaniard defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 6-4 in his opening match in Rome. He got through a long clash against Matteo Arnaldi, saving 1/5 break points in a 6-1 4-6 6-3 victory.
Tien Improving on Clay
Learner Tien was consistent on hard courts to close in on the Top 20. He got to the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and semi-finals in Delray Beach.
The 20-year-old beat Ben Shelton and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Indian Wells before a convincing quarter-final defeat to Jannik Sinner. It was enough to take the youngster to World No.21.
Tien has not enjoyed playing on clay, and that continued with early exits in Houston and Madrid. He lost in straight sets to Roman Andres Burruchaga and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.
The American has shown some improvement in Rome, starting with a 6-2 6-1 win against Damir Dzumhur. He came back to beat Alexander Bublik 4-6 6-3 7-5, hitting 36 winners and 31 unforced errors.