Who is Dino Prizmic, 18-year-old who nearly defeated Djokovic?

• Prizmic nearly upset the world No. 1 in his first round match in Melbourne
• Djokovic praised Prizmic’s on-court skills saying that he was a strong challenger to beat
• Primic is from Croatia and he started playing tennis when he was five years old

All eyes are on upcoming tennis star Dino Prizmic following his match with Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open 2024.

Prizmic nearly upset the world No. 1 in his first round match in Melbourne with a brilliant performance.

The Croatian-born tennis star managed to secure a brief lead in the third set and continued to put up a fight even as Djokovic elevated his game.

Eventually, the defending champion sealed a hard-fought 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 victory on his seventh match point after an intense four hours and one minute.

In his 73rd grand slam tournament, Djokovic showered praise on the 18-year-old debutant stating that he deserves credit for his outstanding performance.

Djokovic in a post-match interview said that Prizmic is an amazing player for his age.

“He deserved every applause, every credit that he got tonight. He’s an amazing player I must say, so mature for his age. This is his moment and it could easily have been his match as well. He made me really run for my money for sure tonight. Amazing performance for someone who is 18 years old and has never had experience of playing on this stage,” Djokovic stated.

He hopes to meet him again soon and he is one of the most promising tennis players he will be watching closely.

Dino Prizmic. Photo/ATP Tour

Who is Dino Prizmic?

Born in 2005, Prizmic discovered tennis at the tender age of five. His father inspired him to play tennis and he started coaching his son as he did with other established tennis players.

Prizmic embarked on a relentless pursuit of excellence, honing his skills through countless drills and matches from his home courts in Croatia.

His dedication paid off early. By 14, Prizmic was already claiming Junior Challenger titles, his athleticism and mental maturity belying his age. He played for years in different leagues until recently when he turned professional.

He joined the ATP Tour and he tried his best but the last two years have been a training ground for him. Prizmic introduced himself to a global audience on the grand stage in Melbourne.

But this outstanding talent had already been making significant strides in the junior rankings for quite some time.

His breakthrough came on the ITF World Tennis Tour in 2023, earning recognition as one of the ITF’s Class of 2023 due to standout performances.

In the latter part of the 2022 season, Prizmic embarked on a remarkable run on the ITF World Tennis Tour, setting the stage for a surge up the ATP rankings in 2023.

Clinching four titles in his final five ITF tournaments of 2022, he orchestrated a 15-match winning streak in December, concluding the year ranked inside the world’s Top 500.

Despite his success, Prizmic returned to the junior ranks, securing the boys’ singles title at the French Open last year. Now, following his impressive performance against Djokovic, it is evident that he is well-prepared to make a mark on the senior tour.

Dino Prizmic. Photo/Last Word on Sports

Did ITF World Tennis Tour Help Dino Prizmic?

During an interview with the ITF, Prizmic said ITF World Tennis Tour has played a pivotal role in refining his game. It has also facilitated a seamless transition from the junior ranks to the senior stage.

“Playing the ITF Tour had a great impact on my game. Tournaments in general are a good transition from the juniors to the professional tennis tour because I got to experience and adjust to the speed and level of professional tennis. They also showed me that even though I am much younger than most of those guys, I can play evenly with them,” he stated.

With his tactful serves and tackles from Djokovic, he is up for more focus at Rod Laver Arena where he gave Djokovic a run for his money.