Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Jódar will not face each other in the opening stage of the ATP Finals in Turin, as Thursday’s draw placed the two Spanish stars in different groups.
The pair can only meet if both advance to the semifinals or the final of the tournament, which runs from November 15 to November 22.
Alcaraz, the tournament’s top favorite, has been drawn into the Ivan Lendl group, according to El Diario Vasco. He will compete against Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe. Meanwhile, Jódar, making his debut in the competition, was placed in the John McEnroe group alongside Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, and Arthur Fils, as reported by Sport.es.
Alcaraz arrives in Turin following a strong finish to his season, with titles in Tokyo, Vienna, and the Paris Masters. While he has been managing a protective bandage on his right knee during training, he remains the primary candidate to succeed in the absence of two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner and seven-time winner Novak Djokovic.
Should he win the event, he would become the third Spaniard to be crowned master, following Manolo Orantes in 1976 and Álex Corretja in 1998.
His path through the group stage involves familiar opponents. He holds a 7-3 record against Medvedev, including a victory in the recent Vienna semifinals. His only previous meeting with Cobolli came in 2023, which Alcaraz won, while his history with Tiafoe includes a 2021 loss at the Conde de Godó followed by wins at the 2022 US Open and Wimbledon 2024.
Rafa Jódar enters the tournament as the first player in history to qualify for the ATP Finals in his debut professional year. However, his path to the semifinals is statistically difficult, as he faces a group that includes two-time champion Zverev and the in-form Shelton.
Jódar has previously faced Zverev once, a loss at Roland Garros this year, and has a 2-1 record against Fils, having defeated the Frenchman in Washington and Canada after an earlier loss in Barcelona.
The tournament follows the standard round-robin format, with the top two players from each group advancing to the knockout stages at the Inalpi Arena. In the doubles competition, Marcel Granollers will partner with Horacio Zeballos. The final of the event is scheduled for November 22, after which the Spanish contingent is expected to reunite for the upcoming Davis Cup.
What is the earliest point Alcaraz and Jódar could play each other?
The two Spaniards are on opposite sides of the draw and cannot meet until the semifinals or the final, provided both qualify from their respective groups.
Which players are in the Ivan Lendl group?
The group consists of Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, and Frances Tiafoe.
Who is in the John McEnroe group?
The group features Rafa Jódar, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton, and Arthur Fils.
The tournament is set to begin on November 15, 2026.
Keep reading
