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Rodionov fails early in Bratislava: Prizmic remains undefeated!
Jurij Rodionov is eliminated early from the Challenger in Bratislava after a defeat against Dino Prizmic.
Rodionov fails early in Bratislava: Prizmic remains undefeated!
Jurij Rodionov was eliminated early from the current 100 challenger in Bratislava. The 26-year-old lost in his first duel against 18-year-old Dino Prizmic 1:6, 4:6. Rodionov was unable to counteract anything in the first set and immediately received a break in the first service game. In his only game win he also had to fend off two break points, while Prizmic remained untouchable in the service.
In the second set the game was initially more balanced, but Prizmic managed the decisive break in the fifth game to make it 3-2. Both players then held their service and the Croatian finally scored his first match point. For Rodionov, the elimination marks another defeat in a row after he last failed in the quarter-finals in Prostejov (Czech Republic). Prizmic, on the other hand, celebrated its sixth consecutive victory after recently winning the title in Zagreb.
Prizmic: A rising star
Dino Prizmic, who won the Challenger tournament in Bratislava, is a promising talent in tennis. In 2023, he won the boys' singles title at the French Open (Roland Garros) and won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Banja Luka eight days after his 18th birthday. This makes him the youngest Croatian champion since Borna Coric in 2014. Other milestones in his career include being the first player since Wu Yibing (2017) to win both a Grand Slam Junior title and a Challenger title in the same season.
Prizmic was trained at the Split Tennis Club, where tennis greats such as Goran Ivanisevic and Mario Ancic also trained. What's particularly impressive is that Ivanisevic praised Prizmic at the age of nine and encouraged him to work on his forehand and serve game. This early support is clearly evident in Prizmic's development, who moved to Zagreb at the age of 14 to train more seriously and compete with other players.
Importance of the Challenger Tour
The ATP Challenger Tour plays an important role in international men's tennis and forms the foundation of the ATP Tour. Since its inception in 1978, the tour currently includes 178 tournaments in 40 countries with total prize money of approximately $28.5 million in 2025. Challenger tournaments allow players outside the top 100 to earn ranking points for higher ATP tournaments, thereby advancing their careers.
The removal of the rule that prohibited top 50 players from competing in Challenger tournaments made these events even more attractive. Players like Prizmic value the importance of these tournaments for their development and mental preparation, especially in the transition phase to the ATP Tour. The Challengers therefore offer a valuable platform for talent to prove themselves on the bigger stages of tennis.