Meet Dino Prizmic: #NextGenATP teen taking Croatian baton?

Challenger

Meet Dino Prizmic: #NextGenATP teen taking Croatian baton?

The 19-year-old recently went on a 14-match winning streak on the ATP Challenger Tour

Francesco Peluso/Aspria Tennis Cup Dino Prizmic is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah. By Grant Thompson

Croatia may be a small country, but it is rich in tennis talent, ranging from Goran Ivanisevic, Marin Cilic, Ivan Ljubicic, Mario Ancic and Borna Coric, among others. #NextGenATP teenager Dino Prizmic is the next promising star who is making a splash on the ATP Challenger Tour.

This season, Croatia is tied for third in most Challenger titles by country, trailing only much-larger France and the United States. Former No. 12 Coric has spearheaded the charge with a season-leading four Challenger titles. Cilic, 2014 US Open champion, returned to the Top 100 for the first time since August 2023 following his triumph in Nottingham.

Then there is Prizmic, the 19-year-old who started playing the sport at Tenis Klub Split, the same club that produced Ivanisevic and Ancic. Now Prizmic is following in their footsteps.

When Prizmic won the Bratislava Challenger last month, he became just the second Croatian — alongside Ancic — to win three Challenger titles as a teenager.

“It’s a good start to try and become a top player and also to try to play against very good players,” Prizmic told ATPTour.com. “It’s a good feeling, but I think it’s something that in the beginning it’s what I have to pass to be a good player.”

Dino Prizmic in Bratislava, where runner-up Valentin Royer helps the Croatian with a champagne celebration. Credit: Bratislava Open

Prizmic continues to build momentum on the Challenger circuit, going on a 14-match winning streak from May to July, with title runs in Croatia’s capital city Zagreb and then Bratislava, Slovakia. Prizmic was one win short of a third consecutive title, only falling to Marco Cecchinato in the Milan final.

Flashback to 2023 and Prizmic was lifting the trophy at the Roland Garros boys’ singles event. He achieved another milestone just two months later, winning his maiden Challenger trophy in Banja Luka.

Like many top juniors transitioning to the demands of pro tennis, Prizmic is embracing the learning curve and gaining valuable experience, all while leaving his mark at the Challenger level.

“A few years ago, I came to every practice and I didn’t think too much of what I needed to practice, what I needed to do on everything,” Prizmic reflected. “Now, at 19, I realise how I need to train and what I need to do every practice. When I was young, I didn’t think at tournaments about to go pro one day, I just wanted to play tennis and enjoy it.”

One of Prizmic’s memorable moments came at last year’s Australian Open, where he advanced through qualifying and then faced his idol Novak Djokovic in the opening round. Prizmic impressed by taking a set off the 10-time Melbourne champion, who later said, “It felt at some point I was playing myself in a mirror already”.

As thrilling as Prizmic’s Grand Slam debut was, what followed proved frustrating and unfortunate.

“I felt something in [Australia] with my wrist and I came in that match [against Djokovic] with tape on my right hand, but I thought it was nothing,” Prizmic said. “I tried to play some tournaments with that pain, but it was not possible. The timing was very bad.

“They suggested that I try without surgery and it was good. I started to change some movements, also something in technique and then we stopped and solved that problem.”

Prizmic’s right wrist injury affected his performance throughout the 2024 season.

“In tennis, I’m playing every shot with my right wrist. So every moment is with my wrist,” added Prizmic, who finished the year with a 20-18 record across all levels, 18 matches less than he played in 2023.

Prizmic’s hard work is paying dividends. He is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, behind Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien. Prizmic is aiming for his maiden trip to the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from 17-21 December.

“That was my goal last year, but I didn’t qualify because of my ranking. Now I’m thinking a little bit about that,” Prizmic said. “When I finished my last tournament, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe I will have the ranking to play that tournament’.

“It would definitely be a huge experience for me and it would be a big pleasure there because it’s only eight players. I need to be focused on how I need to play, what I need to do on court and results and then everything else will come.”

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