Rafael Jodar says French Open run has taught him he can compete with anyone

[p]The 19-year-old's first appearance at Roland Garros ‌ended with a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/jodar-r-OdngshVK/zverev-a-dGbUhw9m/?mid=ppkhJhzo"]7-6, 6-1, 6-3 defeat by the ‌German[/a] second seed, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jodar-rafael/OdngshVK/"]Jodar[/a] said the experience had reinforced his ‌belief that he belongs among the game's top players.[/p][p][b]"If you ‌want to compete against the best players in the world, you have to keep your level all the time the same,"[/b] Jodar ‌told reporters.[/p][p][b]"You cannot have a lot of downs ⁠during the matches, especially ‌when you are playing a five-set match."[/b][/p][p]Jodar emerged as one of the ​surprise stories of the tournament, joining Brazilian teenager [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fonseca-joao/tv073LUc/"]Joao Fonseca[/a] in a quarter-final lineup that highlighted the ​sport's growing wave of young talent.[/p][p][b]"What I learned about me is that I can compete against anyone," [/b]he said.[/p][p][b]"But I ⁠still have to improve ​a lot of things that these matches will help me to improve."[/b][/p][embed guid="584f4faa-08bb-491a-9d8c-d3df542966d3" url="https://x.com/rolandgarros/status/2061837587266855066" social-type="twitter" /][p]The turning point against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Zverev[/a] came in the opening set, when Jodar failed to convert a chance to serve out ‌the set before the world number three took control of the match.[/p][p]"He played better than me in those points," Jodar said. "He deserved to win the first set and then the next two."[/p][p]Despite the defeat, Jodar said he would leave Paris with valuable lessons.[/p][p][b]"A lot of experience in this first French Open for me," [/b]he said. [b]"I take all the matches that I've played, and this gives me a lot of learning ‌to keep improving."[/b][/p]