Prizmic Channels Djokovic Praise in Jeddah Quest
Dino Prizmic turns early acclaim from Novak Djokovic into motivation at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, rebounding from injuries with tactical poise at age 20.
In Jeddah’s electric arena, where the thud of balls on hard courts cuts through the crowd’s murmur, Dino Prizmic moves with a deliberate calm. The 20-year-old Croatian, whose all-court instincts have drawn rare nods from the elite, carries the weight of expectations lightly as he navigates the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. Praise from Novak Djokovic still echoes from their clash at last year’s Australian Open, where Prizmic stretched the Serb to four sets in a debut that blurred the line between challenger and champion.
That encounter under the lights of Rod Laver Arena revealed a player who mirrors Djokovic’s defensive depth and net poise, turning sprawling retrieves into sharp inside-out forehands. Eighteen months later, Luciano Darderi voiced similar admiration after outlasting him in Umag’s ATP 250 quarterfinals, sensing a rising force in Croatia’s next generation.
“I love the way he uses every inch of the court. He is comfortable coming in, he defends incredibly well… I felt I was playing myself in a mirror.”
Praise fuels steady confidence
These endorsements don’t weigh on Prizmic; they sharpen his focus amid the tournament’s high-stakes rhythm. He absorbs them as quiet boosts, channeling the mental edge into consistent baseline battles and timely volleys. In Jeddah, where the indoor hard courts reward quick adjustments, that confidence shows in his ability to redirect heavy topspin with underspin slices, disrupting opponents’ flow without forcing the issue.
“it’s a really good feeling, but I know that I need to work a lot, especially to be in the Top 10,” Prizmic said during a courtside exchange. “I need to continue to play lots of tournaments at a very high level to get near those levels, but I will try. Is there a pressure? No, definitely more confidence. There is no pressure in that part.” His words reflect a mindset honed by early highs, like lifting the Roland Garros boys’ singles trophy in 2023, which capped his junior career on the clay surfaces he navigates with natural spin variation.
Injuries demand patient rebuild
Yet 2024 tested that resolve, as injuries curtailed his schedule and scattered his momentum across fewer events. Rather than chase volume, Prizmic embraced a measured return, prioritizing full recovery over rushed appearances—a choice that preserved his explosive first step and precise 1–2 patterns. By 2025, the payoff emerged on the ATP Challenger Tour, where he captured two titles with a 27-9 record, adapting to pros’ deeper experience by varying his returns: absorbing pace with high bounces before firing down-the-line passes.
This resilience turned setbacks into strategic gains, allowing him to qualify for the US Open main draw and secure three tour-level victories. The limited slate—around 15 or 16 tournaments—meant every outing carried weight, but Prizmic’s pride stems from quality over quantity, his game evolving to handle the tour’s physical and tactical demands. “Players have more experience now, which is normal. But I think I am adjusting to the level,” he noted. “Playing the Challengers compared to juniors is different, but I think everyone can adapt.”
Jeddah tests adaptive edge
Now fully healthy, Prizmic arrives in Jeddah with end-of-year momentum, his late-2025 surge blending defensive walls with aggressive net approaches on the fast surfaces. The crowd’s pulse quickens with each exchange, amplifying the pressure, but he stays grounded, drawing on that Djokovic-like versatility to extend points and exploit openings. After a straight-sets opening loss to Nishesh Basavareddy—where low-skidding balls exposed serve inconsistencies—he faces Justin Engel on Thursday in a matchup that could revive his campaign.
Engel’s all-court aggression will probe Prizmic’s movement, but the Croatian’s superior court coverage and crosscourt lobs could flip the tempo, turning defense into decisive winners. “It was really a great year for me, especially at the end of the year. I played very well and had a very good run,” Prizmic reflected. “It’s really a pleasure to be here in Jeddah and to be part of this tournament. I didn’t play lots of tournaments because I was injured still a little. I played like 15, 16 tournaments. And I’m the most proud because I didn’t play many tournaments, but when I played, I played very good.” At 20, with Croatia’s tennis heritage as backdrop, Prizmic eyes steady climbs, the praise a compass rather than a chain, guiding him through Jeddah’s twists toward broader horizons.
