MILAN/STARNBERG, June 26, 2025
To beat Jacopo Vasami, you don’t just have to win, you have to dominate. So far, no one has managed that. The 17-year-old from Rome is emerging as the revelation of the ASPRIA Tennis Cup – Trofeo BCS ATP Challenger in Milan, showing maturity and mental resilience well beyond his years. A product of the Rafa Nadal Academy, Vasami has clearly absorbed the fighting spirit and mental toughness of the Spanish legend.
In Thursday’s quarterfinals, he staged a brilliant comeback to defeat Croatia’s Luka Mikrut 3–6, 7–6, 6–2. After a shaky start, Vasami calmly worked his way back into the match, saving break points at crucial moments and displaying clutch composure in the second-set tiebreak, where he even shrugged off a foot-fault call that would rattle most players. The final set was one-way traffic, with Mikrut mentally out of gas and Vasami confidently cruising to victory.
It’s his first ATP Challenger Tour semifinal and another milestone in what’s been a breakthrough year. Should he win the title, he would match Jannik Sinner’s age when the Italian star won his first Challenger in Bergamo (2019): 17 years and six months. That would also make him the youngest Challenger winner in 2025, surpassing Joao Fonseca, who triumphed in Canberra at 18 years and four months.
Now he faces former top-20 player Marco Cecchinato, 15 years his senior, in a true generational clash.
Cecchinato finds form
Veteran Cecchinato, champion in Milan back in 2016, has found his groove again this week. He advanced to the semifinals by defeating third seed Max Houkes 6–4, 6–2, following a solid win over Frederico Ferreira Silva. Cecchinato, currently ranked outside the Top 400, has shown flashes of his old brilliance and is aiming to become the second player to win twice in Milan, after Albert Ramos (2011, 2014).
His solid performance, built on clay-court experience and tactical acumen, poses a significant test for Vasami, who will look to extend his dream run.
Prizmic’s winning streak reaches 13 matches
In the top half of the draw, top seed Dino Prizmic continues to make headlines. The 19-year-old Croatian has now won 13 matches in a row, including back-to-back Challenger titles in Zagreb and Bratislava, and three more wins this week in Milan. In the quarterfinals, he beat Germany’s Christoph Negritu 6–4, 6–3, recovering from early breaks in both sets.
One step closer
Dino Prizmic advances to his fourth Challenger semifinal of the season with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Negritu!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/mP4Fw6VuT7
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) June 26, 2025
Prizmic was once tipped as a future star, especially after impressing Novak Djokovic in their Australian Open clash: “It felt like playing a younger version of myself,” said the former World No. 1. However, injuries stalled his rise in 2024. A persistent right wrist problem kept him off the tour for eight months, but since returning, he’s been unstoppable.
His dedication to physical conditioning and mental toughness—he calls himself a “warrior”—have paid off. He’s now back to World No. 173, with his sights set on breaking his career-high of 155.
Prizmic’s maturity has grown from adversity. “Before my injury, I didn’t understand what it meant to be healthy and compete consistently,” he said. “Now I value every match, every training session. My biggest goal is to stay healthy and enjoy the sport.”
Born in Split, Prizmic was first noticed by Goran Ivanisevic as a child and later joined Ivan Ljubicic’s team in Zagreb—a decision he calls life-changing. Though his game lacks a standout “killer shot,” his consistency, grit, and mental fortitude have made him a dangerous opponent.
Off the court, Prizmic draws inspiration from UFC fighter Israel Adesanya and is a big music fan. Asked about his current favorite song, he smiles: “I listen to a bit of everything—Croatian and international.”
He acknowledges the strength of his generation, which includes Blockx, Mensik, Fonseca, and Tien, but believes Sinner and Alcaraz remain a level above—for now. His ambition? Not rankings or titles, but to compete at the highest level, in the biggest tournaments, in front of the biggest crowds.
The teenager will next take on 18-year-old Spaniard Rafael Jodar, who fought past Frenchman Arthur Gea 6-0, 2-6, 6-3 in one hour and 57 minutes.
