#NextGenATP star sinks Trungelliti to win clay ATP 250

Rafael Jodar added a maiden ATP Tour trophy to the story of his rapid rise on Sunday afternoon in Marrakech.

The 19-year-old Spaniard, who was outside the Top 900 in the PIF ATP Rankings only a year ago, eased past Marco Trungelliti 6-3, 6-2 to claim the title at the Grand Prix Hassan II. Jodar frequently unleashed his powerful forehand to great effect against the 36-year-old Trungelliti and prevailed after just 69 minutes.

“It’s incredible. I have no words, honestly, to describe this feeling right now,” said Jodar. “I’m super happy that I could get the title here in Marrakech. The first time for me in Marrakech and Morocco. I loved the crowd, everyone who came to support me and watch the final.”

Jodar began 2026 as the World No. 168. After becoming the first teenager to win Marrakech in event history, he will on Monday rise 32 spots to a career-high No. 57 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Trungelliti, whose run to the final from qualifying at the clay ATP 250 has also been a notable story that will end with him on Monday becoming the oldest Top 100 debutant in the PIF ATP Rankings since 1973, was unable to find any counter to Jodar’s relentless barrage of baseline hitting. The Spanish teenager fired 16 winners to his opponent’s three, and won 86 per cent (18/21) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Jodar earned the first of his four breaks of serve in the opening game of Sunday’s championship match. Although Trungelliti dug deep to rally from 0/40 and avoid falling to an early 0-3 deficit, that effort only delayed Jodar in his pursuit of victory. The Spaniard won five games in a row from 4-3 in the first set to take a hold on the match that he never looked like surrendering.

“Today, I guess I got kicked by this young man here,” said Trungelliti to Jodar after the pair had contested the final with the fifth-biggest age gap in ATP Tour history (since 1990). “I tried to compete. It was sad for me today, because I was expecting a great final, but at least you saw a great final from one side, which was his side. Congratulations. Hopefully we can practise a little bit more so I can get used to your game for the next time.”

Having only turned pro in December after spending a year playing two seasons of college tennis for the University of Virginia, Jodar has now become just the second man born in 2006 or later to win an ATP Tour title after two-time champion Joao Fonseca. He is just the sixth Spanish man in the Open Era to lift a trophy before turning 20, joining Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Carlos Moya, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Tommy Robredo on that list.