With Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by a wrist injury and retired legend Rafa Nadal relaxing on his boat off Mallorca, Spain has found a new Wimbledon contender in rising teenage star Rafael Jodar.

The ⁠19-year-old made his main draw debut at the All England Club on Monday and looked immediately at home in his ​first professional match on a grass court ​as he ⁠eased to a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 victory over British wildcard Felix Gill.

Facing a callow Spaniard in the first match on a lush Court Three might have been seen as an opportunity for 220th-ranked Gill to cause an upset against the 23rd seed.

But that never looked remotely likely as Jodar emulated two-time Wimbledon champions Alcaraz and Nadal by reaching the second round as a teenage debutant.

"It was a very tough match and Felix played very well," Jodar said ⁠on ⁠court. "I feel my game is very good on this surface even though I haven't played much on it, so I need to get used to it. That's why I came early to Wimbledon to have a few more days. Now it's on to the second match."

Ranked around 500 in the world a year ago, the 1.9-meter Jodar has rocketed up the rankings since ⁠and announced himself on the big stage by reaching the French Open quarterfinals this year on his debut, having won his first ATP title in Marrakech.

While Spanish ​players used to be renowned as claycourt warriors whose weapons were rendered ​harmless on the lawns, Nadal and then Alcaraz changed all that.

With a hugely powerful baseline game, a potent serve and ⁠an ability to ‌mix it up, Jodar showed he will be ⁠a threat in a dominant display against ‌the willing Gill.

Only when he went a break down early in the third ​set did it look as ⁠though he might get dragged into a duel, ⁠but he quickly found another gear, breaking back twice to wrap ⁠up a quick ​win.

Jodar's next assignment promised to be a tougher one against vastly experienced fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.