Dino Prizmic is ready to make another Melbourne mark, eyes Novak Djokovic reunion

For now, Dino Prizmic isn’t big on setting goals or chasing targets. When it comes to a 2026 ambition, the Croatian’s wish list is simple: stay healthy from start to finish and see where that takes him.

“I know that then everything else will come,” he tells TENNIS.com.

It was two years ago this time when Prizmic made waves on an international stage following a standout junior career that saw him capture the Roland Garros boys’ title. Having successfully qualified into his first major main draw at the Australian Open less than a year later, the then teenager drew the opportunity to face 10-time champion Novak Djokovic.

I haven't seen Novak since that match in Australia, but he told me a few things that I remember. If I get the chance, I want to see him again here.

A promising display soon evolved, one where Prizmic claimed a set off the holder of 24 majors and went toe to toe for over four hours inside Rod Laver Arena. His star on the rise would soon be put on hold though, as a right wrist injury hampered the opportunity to build any significant momentum throughout what should have been the budding prospect's first full season on tour.

In 2025, the biggest lesson Prizmic took away was the value of playing week in and week out. The Split native experienced that first hand on the ATP Challenger Tour once healed. Ranked as low as No. 393 last February, a semifinal run foreshadowed his belief that results would work themselves out when he strung together 14 consecutive wins across May and June to crack the Top 150.

“It helped me a lot that I played many Challenger tournaments very well and I think that's a great thing for players who are making it from Challenger to ATP tournaments. It offers great transition,” he says.

“There are a lot of challenges and difficult moments, too. For example, you play the semifinals and get very few points even if you are almost at the end of the tournament.”

As Prizmic was reestablishing himself, the likes of Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien were busy producing at the top tier of the sport. Prizmic notes this grouping in his generation “now have a consistency and a level which they won't go below”, while staying his own lane and continuing to run a race that requires everyone to find their own gains.

“I am improving my service and play at the net. I used to be quite defensive and now I am trying to improve that instead of playing long rallies,” he shares.

“Of course, we all want to prove ourselves and be as good as possible in tennis, but I'm not thinking about that at the moment. My goal is to play as well as possible and to perform in the biggest tournaments.”

Prizmic points to mental strength as one quality he takes pride in, with physical preparation as the area he’d like to most see himself push further. Coming off qualifying for the US Open and a December appearance at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, Prizmic currently finds himself back at Melbourne Park after dividing a pre-season in Zagreb and Dubai that was “pretty similar as last year, just with different technical emphasis.”

Coached by Luka Kutanjac, with fitness trainer Igor Cordas along with a physio also in his camp, the world No. 127 opened a bid to qualify for a second Australian Open on Monday with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Genaro Alberto Olivieri.

Djokovic is back as well, set to play his 21st main draw. The Serbian legend paid Prizmic the ultimate compliment the last time they crossed paths when declaring, “It felt at some point I was playing myself in a mirror already.”

Reflects Prizmic, “I haven't seen Novak since that match in Australia, but he told me a few things that I remember. If I get the chance, I want to see him again here.”

With two more victories this week, the 20-year-old will increase his odds of doing that—either off the court, or, back on it for another round of sparring.