Croatia's Prizmic captures boys' singles crown

The 17-year-old dominated the field en route to his first Slam title

Dino Prizmic, final, boys' singles, Roland-Garros 2023© Clément Mahoudeau/FFT
 - Chris Oddo

Croatia’s Dino Prizmic made his return to juniors at Roland-Garros this year after an 11-month foray on the professional tour. The 17-year-old made it count, defeating Bolivia's Juan Carlos Prado Angelo for the boys' singles title on Court Simonne-Mathieu 6-1, 6-4.

"For me, it's a big achievement," the No.3 seed told reporters. "It's my dream when I was kid. I am really happy for myself and for my team and my whole family to won this tournament."

Already ranked inside the ATP’s top 300 after a season that has seen him reach the quarter-finals at five Challenger-level events, Prizmic was a force during the Parisian fortnight, dropping just one set en route to his first Grand Slam junior title.

On an exceptionally warm and humid afternoon in Paris, Prizmic wore down Prado Angelo from the get-go. He peppered his adversary with steady strikes from the baseline, and kept his stat line squeaky clean, committing just 11 unforced errors against 34 for his Bolivian opponent. 

The Croatian said it was his fighting spirit that made the difference throughout the tournament.

"I think first is I think I'm very good fighter," he said. "Every point, it's like match point."

Prizmic, who is managed by former world No.3 Ivan Ljubicic, becomes the second Croatian to win a Roland-Garros junior title, and the first since Marin Cilic triumphed here in 2005. 

Dino Prizmic, finale, simple filles, Roland-Garros 2023©Clément Mahoudeau / FFT

Prizmic is the fourth Croatian – along with Cilic, Borna Coric (2013 US Open) and Mili Poljicak (2022 Wimbledon) – to win a boys’ singles Grand Slam title. 

He said the pressure of measuring up to former greats from his country didn't really enter his mind.

"I felt pressure today, but I tried to play just my tennis and to play every point," he said. "And pressure, it was just gone."

Prizmic's triumph puts an end to a historical run for 18-year-old Prado Angelo, who became the first Bolivian player to reach a Grand Slam singles final in any discipline when he defeated American Learner Tien, 6-1 7-5, on Friday in Paris. 

The current junior world No.9 had never been beyond the first round of a Grand Slam before this week. 

Juan Carlos Prado Angelo, boys' singles, first round, Roland-Garros 2023 © Andre Ferreira/FFT