![\"Ivan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ivanov-us-open-2025-feature.jpg\")
<\/p>\n ATP Tour
\n Junior No. 1 Ivanov, 16-year-old Nadal Academy standout, ‘fired up for tennis’<\/p>\n
Bulgarian won Wimbledon and US Open boys’ singles titles this year<\/p>\n
September 12, 2025<\/p>\n
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Sarah Stier\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Ivan Ivanov celebrates his US Open boys’ singles victory.
\n By ATP Staff<\/p>\n
Rafael Nadal<\/a> reached the pinnacle of the PIF ATP Rankings for the first time in August 2008, shortly after beating Roger Federer<\/a> in the Wimbledon<\/a> final that is widely considered one of the best matches in tennis history.<\/p>\n Ivan Ivanov<\/a> was not born until October that year. But fast-forward 16 years and the Bulgarian trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar and is the No. 1 player in the ITF Junior Rankings, fresh off victories at Wimbledon<\/a> and the US Open<\/a>.<\/p>\n There was plenty of pressure on the teen to perform in New York as the junior World No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon<\/a> champion, but he showed few nerves in capturing another Slam title at Flushing Meadows.<\/p>\n \u201c[It was] very tough, that\u2019s for sure. [There were] expectations about that and all the eyes on you,\u201d Ivanov told ATPTour.com. \u201cIt\u2019s something that you have to take very specifically. But I managed it very well as we can see, and I’m very happy with that result.\u201d<\/p>\n You May Also Like: Wimbledon boys’ champ Ivanov, 16, wins US Open, Nadal applauds<\/a><\/p>\n Ivanov does not come from a family of tennis players. But his father gave him his first racquet and he has not looked back.<\/p>\n \u201cI just started playing. I met my first coach and like this [there was] just a connection and the people that were close to me, they made me fired up for tennis,\u201d Ivanov said. <\/p>\n \u201cI really loved the racquet sports at the beginning. I enjoyed watching with my mom some of the old-school tennis, like Roger and Stan. I mean, they’re not so old school, but I just loved watching them and I just wanted to try it. I tried it and I really loved it, which made me very happy about the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n Stan Wawrinka<\/a>, now 40, is 24 years the Bulgarian\u2019s elder and still competing. The Bulgarian also looked up to the likes of countryman Grigor Dimitrov<\/a> and 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic<\/a>, who claimed his first Slam title the year Ivanov was born. Four years ago, the Bulgarian moved to Spain to train at Nadal\u2019s eponymous academy.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, it was very difficult because I was away from my parents and away from my mom,\u201d Ivanov said. \u201cBut the thing [is] that I managed to come through that and they are able to come as much as possible, [so] this gave me a bit more confidence in my decision and gave me a little bit more a particular reason why should I do that.\u201d<\/p>\n The 16-year-old explained that he has particularly enjoyed working with the staff at the academy. Nadal also follows Ivanov\u2019s growth, congratulating him after his US Open<\/a> win.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re all super nice to me, and nice to everyone,\u201d said Ivanov, whose main coach is Jeremy Paisan. \u201cI love that about them. I enjoy being in the academy, and I’m so grateful to be there.\u201d<\/p>\n Congratulations Ivan on winning Wimbledon<\/a>?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Wimbledon & @usopen<\/a> Junior \ud83c\udfc6! <\/p>\n Congrats also to all the @rnadalacademy<\/a> team! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffb\ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udffb https:\/\/t.co\/gqzkgK3Lw2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Ivanov became the third boy this century to lift the\u00a0Wimbledon<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0US Open<\/a>\u00a0trophies in the same year, joining Dimitrov\u00a0and\u00a0Filip Peliwo<\/a>. The Bulgarian believes he first met Dimitrov at a young age in Sofia.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gave me some good compliments about my game. He gave me some advice,\u201d Ivanov said. \u201cI was very motivated to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n That has worked for a player who also enjoys golf, reading books by the likes of Jules Verne and watching movies, \u201cI like to be more calm,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n But on the court, Ivanov is a fiery competitor who has climbed as high as No. 795 in the PIF ATP Rankings. This week, he is representing Bulgaria in Davis Cup for the first time.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![\"It](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757752266_673_it-all-adds-up-banner.jpg\"\/)
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