Trip to Jeddah: Dino Prizmic Push | ATP Tour

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Journey to Jeddah: Prizmic Push

The Croatian knocked out Djokovic at the Australian Open

December 05, 2024

Dino Prizmic was Down Under high to start the 2024 season. The 19-year-old Croatian started his year inside the Top 200 of the PIF ATP Rankings and qualified for the Australian Open, where he eliminated his idol, Novak Djokovic. His fearless play has earned the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who said it felt like he was playing himself in the mirror.

“I’m very happy to share the court with the best player in the world,” said Prizmic while filming the ATP Tour’s Journey to Jeddah series. “Now I need to work harder and I need to improve every day to keep playing with the best players.”

The Croatian’s rise has stalled due to injuries this year, which has resulted in him missing parts of the season and unable to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. Although he may not take the stage in Jeddah this season, Prizmic hopes to be a leading contender for the 20 and under title next year.

“I’m a hero on the court,” said the Croatian, making his ambitions clear. “I try to play every shot like it’s my last.”

Prizmic was a soccer player first, until his sister’s tennis inspired him to take to the court. He was a normal person from the first day: “The coach said on the first day that I am a good player and that I should continue,” he recalled. “Today I play tennis and enjoy every moment on the court.”

He still includes football in his training, often warming up with football tennis. While his first match was played on grass, the biggest result of his young life was on clay, when he won the 2023 Roland Garros men’s title.

This year, his best weeks have come on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he reached two semi-finals and made two more quarter-final runs. Three of those deep runs came late in the season, after losing in the US Open qualifiers.

That strong finish could pave the way for the 2025 PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah.