Former Challenger ballkid Damir Dzumhur revamping profession at that stage: ‘I am not accomplished but’ | ATP Tour

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Former Challenger ballkid Dzumhur revamping profession at that stage: ‘I am not accomplished but’

The previous World No. 23 returned to the Prime 100 on Monday for the primary time since 2020

August 14, 2024

Damir Dzumhur was a perennial Prime 100 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings from 2015-2020. He reached as excessive as World No. 23 and claimed three tour-level trophies in a two-year span. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and put the Tour on pause, Dzumhur wouldn’t have guessed he would wish to attend 4 years to return to the Prime 100.

“On the time, it isn’t straightforward to just accept it,” Dzumhur instructed ATPTour.com. “Understanding that you have been within the Prime 100 for nearly six years, taking part in on the highest stage tournaments, taking part in the Grand Slams after which immediately you aren’t there, it’s important to play in qualies, it’s important to play extra Challengers. [You think], ‘I’ll get again,’ but it surely’s not that straightforward. Then sure issues are taking place, you possibly can’t carry out at your finest stage, you are not there and it isn’t straightforward to just accept it.”

The 32-year-old, who hails from Bosnia-Herzegovina, has quietly been climbing on the ATP Challenger Tour, the circuit on which he has claimed three titles this yr: Barletta, Italy; Ostrava, Czech Republic; Zagreb, Croatia.

By no means hand over 💪

Damir Dzumhur comes again from 1-5 down within the third set to beat Squire 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 and declare the title in Ostrava!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/QJc5RS2URt

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) April 28, 2024

One in all six gamers to win a trio of Challenger titles this season, it was that stage that first uncovered Dzumhur to professional tennis when he was 9.

Dzumhur grew up volunteering as a ballkid on the ATP Challenger Tour occasion in Sarajevo, his beginning metropolis. In 2003, the primary yr of the match, Dzumhur was retrieving balls for a 16-year-old Richard Gasquet, who went on to win the match in record-breaking vogue. To this present day, Gasquet is etched in Challenger historical past because the youngest participant to win a number of titles at that stage. The Frenchman gained in Montauban the yr prior.

“I used to be like, ‘Wow! Me profitable a Challenger in seven years? That’s not straightforward!’” Dzumhur stated with amusing. “However it was good to see that.”

Sarcastically, Dzumhur and Gasquet have performed one another 4 instances throughout all ranges, together with this yr within the Manama Challenger semi-finals. “As soon as after we had been practising, I instructed him, ‘Have you learnt that I used to be a ballboy to you in Sarajevo?’” he recalled.

Dzumhur noticed a number of different younger stars earlier than they grew to become family names and climbed contained in the Prime 10, together with Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Ernests Gulbis and Janko Tipsarevic.

Dick Norman, who reached the Prime 10 in doubles, hit with Dzumhur in 2003, the identical yr the Belgian reached the ultimate and misplaced to Gasquet.

“I had an opportunity to hit for the primary time with knowledgeable participant — a participant that was Prime 100 — I received my likelihood to ask if I might hit a couple of balls with him. He was so variety, so we did,” Dzumhur stated. “That point after I was a ballkid was undoubtedly the perfect time of the yr for me. Since you might see a number of the finest gamers.

“It was a contented time for us children. I actually admire that I had the prospect to do it. It is a dream of each tennis participant if you find yourself younger to fulfill different tennis gamers who’re professionals.”

Now Dzumhur has constructed a 12-year and counting skilled profession of his personal. And after a tough four-year stretch, he climbed again within the Prime 100 on Monday for the primary time since 10 February 2020.

“At some moments I felt my recreation was there, however I used to be simply lacking a part of the puzzle after which there have been additionally some powerful moments, particularly 2022,” stated the World No. 100, who retired within the remaining spherical of Wimbledon qualifying this yr with a ruptured stomach indirect muscle.

“I dropped to 260 at one level and there I used to be pondering, ‘What is going on to be subsequent? Am I going to come back again or is it simply going to be a battle?’”

Dzumhur’s career-best stretch got here from 2017-2018, when he gained ATP 250 titles in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Antalya. The tour veteran is hoping his latest kind is only the start of a tide change.

“I am not accomplished but. This isn’t the place I wish to cease. I simply wish to go step-by-step,” Dzumhur stated. “I am undoubtedly extra motivated [knowing] that I received again to the Prime 100. It is undoubtedly good to see your title among the many Prime 100 gamers.

“On the age of 32, I nonetheless really feel good. Truly, that is the yr that I felt the perfect in the previous few years bodily. I do not assume that 32 is previous for tennis and I nonetheless assume that I can show one thing in tennis. I am fairly certain that I can do much more and I can get even higher outcomes.”