Rafael Jodar faces new French Open kid mascot backlash while fans revisit ball girl controversy

Rafael Jodar was back in the spotlight at the French Open, but this time it was not because of his tennis. Just days after social media wrongly accused him of pushing a ball girl, the young Spaniard found himself involved in another online debate.

Ahead of his fourth-round match at Roland Garros, videos showed Rafael Jodar walking onto Court Suzanne Lenglen while a young tournament mascot stood nearby with her hand stretched out. Jodar walked past without reacting, and the clip quickly spread across social media.Many fans criticized the 19-year-old after watching the footage. One user who shared the video wrote, “Every time, Rafael Jodar surprises me more.

Poor little girl.” Others called his actions “ill-mannered” and “rude.” However, many people also came to his defense. Several fans pointed out that Jodar appeared completely focused on the match and likely did not notice the young girl waiting for him. The video shows him looking straight ahead while walking through the hallway before entering the court.The incident immediately gained attention because it happened so soon after another viral moment involving the Spanish teenager.

That earlier controversy led to heavy criticism online before additional video angles revealed what had actually happened.

Rafael Jodar faces fresh French Open criticism after ball girl controversy was cleared up

The latest debate comes after a video from an earlier match appeared to show Rafael Jodar pushing a ball girl while leaving the court. The short clip spread rapidly online and triggered strong reactions from fans.However, further footage later showed a different story. The ball girl had slipped on the tarp while moving back toward her position near the backboard fence.

At the same time, Jodar was throwing a bottle toward his team in frustration after the match. The two moments happened together, creating a misleading impression in the original clip.Speaking to reporters afterward, Jodar strongly denied any suggestion that he had pushed the ball girl. He said he would never behave that way toward a ball kid. Once the additional footage surfaced, many fans agreed that the situation had been misunderstood.While the attention around these incidents has continued to grow, Jodar has quietly produced one of the most impressive runs of the tournament.The Spaniard started his French Open campaign with a straight-sets victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic. He then faced a tougher challenge against James Duckworth in the second round but advanced in four sets.His biggest test arrived in the third round against Alex Michelsen.

Jodar fell behind by two sets to one but fought back to win an exhausting five-set battle and secure a place in the fourth round.His strong showing in Paris follows the best clay-court season of his career. Before arriving at Roland Garros, he reached the quarterfinals of the ATP Masters 1000 events in Madrid and Rome. He also captured the Grand Prix Hassan II title in April, the first ATP Tour trophy of his career.Even as social media continues to discuss his actions away from the court, Rafael Jodar’s performances on the clay remain the biggest reason people are talking about him in Paris.