![\"Dino](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/prizmic-jeddah-2025-feature.jpg\")
<\/p>\n Player Features
\n Djokovic\u2019s praise lingers as Prizmic charts his own path in Jeddah<\/p>\n
Croatian won two ATP Challenger Tour trophies in 2025<\/p>\n
December 18, 2025<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Corinne Dubreuil\/ATP Tour<\/p>\n
Dino Prizmic is in action in Jeddah this week.
\n By Sam Jacot<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the way he uses every inch of the court. He is comfortable coming in, he defends incredibly well\u2026 I felt I was playing myself in a mirror.\u201d<\/p>\n
When praise like that comes from Novak Djokovic, it tends to linger. For Dino Prizmic, it arrived early and emphatically in a career still in its opening chapters.<\/p>\n
At last year\u2019s Australian Open, the 20-year-old Croatian pushed Djokovic to four sets in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting, earning the admiration of the former World No. 1. Eighteen months later, Luciano Darderi echoed those sentiments after beating Prizmic in the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 in Umag.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope he\u2019s going to be Top 10 really soon,\u201d Darderi said. \u201cI think Croatia is in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
This week in Jeddah, where Prizmic is competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, those endorsements remain a source of motivation rather than pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s a really good feeling, but I know that I need to work a lot, especially to be in the Top 10,\u201d Prizmic told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. \u201cI need to continue to play lots of tournaments at a very high level to get near those levels, but I will try.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there a pressure? No, definitely more confidence. There is no pressure in that part.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prizmic first announced himself in 2023 by lifting the Roland Garros boys\u2019 singles trophy, fulfilling a personal goal to finish his junior career with a Grand Slam title. His breakout moment soon followed under the lights of Rod Laver Arena, where he stood toe-to-toe with Djokovic on one of the sport\u2019s grandest stages.<\/p>\n
But momentum stalled in 2024. A series of injuries forced Prizmic off course, limiting his schedule and disrupting his rhythm. Rather than rush his return, the Croatian opted for patience, a decision that paid dividends this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really a great year for me, especially at the end of the year. I played very well and had a very good run,\u201d Prizmic said. \u201cIt\u2019s really a pleasure to be here in Jeddah and to be part of this tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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\u2019t play many tournaments, but when I played, I played very good.\u201d<\/p>\n