RELATED | Official press conference sets the stage for another exciting Plava Laguna Croatia Open
This year's Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag promises to bring together the very best of tennis. The 36th edition of Croatia's sole ATP tournament will feature current and future stars of world tennis, former champions, and rising Croatian talents. It is the perfect combination for all tennis fans, who will gather in Umag from July 10 to 18 to enjoy the action. The lineup of players set to play is truly impressive, ensuring fierce battles for crucial ATP ranking points and the prestigious title on the red clay of Umag in the week following Wimbledon.
“We have everything we could possibly hope for. A Roland Garros finalist and semifinalist, several players with outstanding results this season, our homegrown talents, and seasoned veterans who have reached the highest echelons of world tennis and enjoyed great success right here in Umag. We can't wait for the tournament to begin because, looking at the confirmed lineup so far, we are in for some world-class tennis,” said Tournament Director Tomislav Poljak.
As a reminder, the full entry list was unveiled at the tournament's official press conference held in Zagreb on June 17, with Italy's Matteo Arnaldi and Belgium's Alexander Blockx drawing the most attention.
Arnaldi, currently ranked world No. 35, returns to Umag, where he made a run to the semifinals in 2023 and competed again the following year. This season, he captured the attention of the global tennis community with a stunning run to the French Open semifinals. Unfortunately, illness prevented him from taking the court against his compatriot Flavio Cobolli—another star set to arrive in Umag this July.
Meanwhile, Alexander Blockx is one of the brightest rising stars in world tennis. A former junior world No. 1, he has been making rapid strides up the ATP rankings. At just 19 years old, he has already broken into the world's top 40 (currently No. 37), with much of his surge driven by stellar performances on clay. He reached the semifinals at this year's Madrid Masters and claimed his maiden Grand Slam main draw win at Roland Garros, advancing to the second round.
Let's also look back at the players announced earlier. The headline stars of the tournament certainly include Italy's Flavio Cobolli, a French Open finalist, while Argentina's Tomás Martín Etcheverry and Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina stand out among the top contenders for the title. Furthermore, making his Umag debut is Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, a two-time Masters 1000 champion who formerly reached a career-high world No. 6 and has a Wimbledon semifinal under his belt.
A regular fixture on the entry list, especially considering he has already reached the quarterfinals in Umag twice, is our very own Dino Prižmić, who continues to make steady progress this season. Joining Prižmić among the Croatian contingent is the highly talented Luka Mikrut, who has made significant strides following a string of successful performances on the ATP Challenger Tour. He will enter the main draw via a wild card for the second time in his career, after receiving the same opportunity for his ATP Tour debut back in 2024.
The qualifying draw will be further intensified by players who have already enjoyed success in Umag and boast extensive tournament experience. This includes Italy's Marco Cecchinato, a former world No. 16 who claimed the Umag title in 2018 and reached the quarterfinals in 2022. Also returning is Serbia's Dušan Lajović, formerly ranked No. 23 in the world, the 2019 Umag champion, and a three-time quarterfinalist. Joining them is his compatriot Laslo Djere (who holds a career-high ranking of No. 27), an Umag semifinalist back in 2019.
Among the players securing direct entry into the main draw in Umag based on their ranking is the exceptional Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta, another athlete who can boast of having been among the top 10 in the world. His stellar resume includes a Masters 1000 title, two Grand Slam semifinal appearances, an Olympic bronze medal, and a Davis Cup title.
The qualifying tournament kicks off on Saturday, July 11, with main draw action beginning on Monday, July 13. The final is scheduled for Saturday, July 18. Tickets for the Plava Laguna Croatia Open are available on the official website at shop.croatiaopen.hr.
