Rafael Jódar makes tennis history by reaching top 10 in debut season

Rafael Jódar has become the first tennis player in history to break into the ATP top 10 in his debut season on the professional tour. The 20-year-old from Madrid moved into tenth place after Taylor Fritz lost in the Basel semi-finals to Valentin Vacherot, who had knocked Jódar out earlier in the week.

Of the 20 Spaniards to reach the top 10 before him, only Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, both at 18, were younger.

Jódar left the University of Virginia at the end of last year when he was ranked outside the top 200. Since then, with his father as his coach, he has won his first title in Marrakech and reached his first Masters 1000 final in Shanghai.

He has also been selected by David Ferrer for the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna from 24 to 29 November, where Spain face Austria in the quarter-finals.

His place at the ATP Finals in Turin will be decided at the Paris Masters this week.