Since the first coordination as a 12-year-old, Matej has followed the next Gen ATP final that PIF presented with admiration and ambition. From looking at Hyeon Chung’s breakthrough in the inaugural edition to seeing stars such as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz win the title, the Croatian has dreamed to get on the same stage.
Now 20 years old and forging his own path on the ATP Challenger Tour, wants to qualify for the event that he has watched on TV for years.
“It would really mean a lot for me if I make it,” said Doddig, who is 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race to Jeddah and has to take off site to get one of the eight -qualifying places. “I watched it every year when it came out. I look at it every year. It would be very nice to go there and play.”
Differently remembers his countryman Bora Coric who reached the semi-final of the event in 2017 and a year later Coric pushed to a career-high no. 12. The 20-and-under event, formerly 21-and-Under, has routinely shown a top 50 player in their early years of Starddah-Fonseca, Joao Fonseca, and is Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca, and Joao Fonseca and is Fonseca and is Fonseca and Joao-Fonseca and is Fonseca and Joao-Fonseca and is Fonseca. Show 50 player.
Alcaraz won the next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in 2021, a year away from when he won his first challenger in Trieste, Italy, where appropriately earned his first title at that level in July.
“I saw him win on YouTube Trieste and now I did the same,” said Doden with a smile. “That’s what I said in my trophy ceremony speech after the final.”
Tennis from five years out of five started playing after a football club was rejected because he was “too small”. “They didn’t have a group for those little children,” he added. Difold wanted to use his youthful energy in sport and started playing at a tennis club instead.
Around 15 years, Dennal started to train at the Ljubicic Tennis Academy, which was founded by former no. 3 and colleague Croatian Ivan Ljubicic. Didly trained there for two years, in addition to his old friend Dino Prizmic, the 19-year-old Croatian who is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Jeddah.
‘Every time [Ivan] Came to the academy, me and dino were usually there. He always tried to help young players, “said Doddig.” Of course you will remember everything that Ljubicic tells you. ”
Fans may wonder if World No. 255 Matej is related to the former Doubles World No. 2 Ivan Dodig – who also achieved a top 30 singles ranking – but despite sharing a surname and Croatian roots, the two are not related, or at least they don’t believe that.
“Almost everyone asks me that question,” said Doddig, cracking a smile. “And now he started telling me that it happens for him too. My grandfather comes from the same place as he, but we don’t know if there is one [relation]. Maybe some distant family members. ”
This season (9), Croatia demanded the third most challenger titles per country, with only a lot of Larger France and the United States (both at 14). It is an impressive achievement for a small country, yet rich in tennis history. Coric has demanded four of those titles, including three trophies in the same number of weeks from February to March.
The 36-year-old Marin Cilic stembed his comeback from an injury by competing for a handful of challengers events, and the Tour veteran wrote history in the process. Cilic, who lifted two titles at that level in 2007, set the record for the longest gap between ATP Challenger Tour titles (17 years, 10 months) with his triumph in Girona. He then returned to the circle of the winner in the Gras-Court Nottingham Challenger in June.
Then there are the #NEXTGENTPY YOUNG, DENDDEN and PRIZMIC, who proudly take the baton for their home country. Prizmic won the challengers of Zagreb and Bratislava and reached two extra finals. His milestone moment on the Clay courts of Trieste celebrated, where he was on his way to the title.
“Everything just clicked on that a week,” said Doddig. “This year I didn’t play so well, wasn’t so confident. I ended with a shoulder injury last year and I felt that I was closer to a title last year, more consistent. This year was more a surprise to me.”
? Matej Dodig’s breakthrough moment?
The 19-year-old beat Tirante 6-3, 6-4 to conquer his first Challenger trophy in Trieste! ?#Onterists pic.twitter.com/tgjvcditfo
– ATP Challenger Tour (@atpChallenger) July 13, 2025
#NextGenatp #Matej #Dodig #strive #Jeddah #watching #years