RELATED | Players 2026
Wild cards for Dodig Šeško and McDonald
Matej Dodig will compete in the main draw of this year's Plava Laguna Croatia Open after receiving a wild card. The 20-year-old from Osijek replaces Luka Mikrut, who was forced to withdraw because of a shoulder injury. Dodig is currently defending his title at the ATP Challenger in Trieste. He also played in Umag two years ago, when he celebrated his first ATP Tour victory on debut by defeating Enzo Couacaud.
One of the world's leading junior players and this year's Australian Open boys' singles champion, Slovenia's Ziga Sesko, is another exciting addition to the 36th edition of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open. The 17-year-old has only recently begun his transition to professional tennis, but his junior achievements already suggest a very bright future.
Sesko reached a career-high of No. 4 in the ITF junior rankings. In addition to his Australian Open singles title, he also won the Orange Bowl doubles title last season. His triumph in Melbourne made him the first Slovenian player ever to win a junior singles title at any of the four Grand Slam tournaments.
His appearance in Umag will mark his ATP Tour main draw debut.
The third wild card has been awarded to 18-year-old German Niels McDonald, another outstanding young prospect in world tennis, last year's Roland Garros boys' singles champion and the current world No. 569.
Hurkacz withdraws again through injury
Former Top 10 player Hubert Hurkacz has been forced to withdraw from the tournament. The 29-year-old Pole, who will be ranked No. 68 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday, will miss the Plava Laguna Croatia Open for the second consecutive year because of injury.
Hurkacz suffered the injury during Wimbledon, where he was forced to retire from his fourth-round match against Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff while trailing 2-4 in the deciding fifth set.
Qualifying for the 36th edition of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open begins on Saturday, 11 July, at 5 p.m.
