TENNIS: Jodar embraces lessons from French Open breakthrough amid youth surge

Rafael Jodar said his breakthrough run to the French Open quarterfinals showed him the level of consistency needed to compete with the world's best, after the Spaniard's impressive campaign in Paris ended against Alexander Zverev on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old's first appearance at Roland Garros ended with a 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-3 defeat by the German second seed, but Jodar said the experience reinforced his belief that he belongs among the game's top players.

"If you want to compete against the best players in the world, you have to keep your level the same all the time," Jodar told reporters. "You cannot have a lot of downs during the matches, especially when you are playing a five-set match."

A Rising Wave of Young Talent

Jodar emerged as one of the surprise stories of the tournament, joining Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in a quarterfinal lineup that highlighted the sport's growing wave of young talent.

"What I learned about me is that I can compete against anyone," Jodar said. "But I still have to improve a lot of things, and these matches will help me improve."

The turning point against Zverev came in the opening set, when Jodar failed to convert a chance to serve out the set before the world number two took control of the match.

"He played better than me in those points," Jodar admitted. "He deserved to win the first set and then the next two."

Valuable Lessons for the Future

Despite the defeat, Jodar said he leaves Paris with valuable lessons.

"A lot of experience in this first French Open for me," he said. "I take all the matches that I've played, and this gives me a lot of learning to keep improving."

Zverev, who is bidding for his maiden Grand Slam title, said the performances of players like Jodar and Fonseca are an encouraging sign for the future of men's tennis.

"We have a great group of young players that are playing fantastic tennis," Zverev said. "We have fantastic players that are young on the tour right now. We have a lot of potential on the tour right now." -Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis/Reuters