Croatia’s best junior tennis prospect will compete for Australia from now on.
Duje Markovina, who was crowned Croatia’s top junior in 2024, has officially switched allegiances thanks to a decision made by his mother, Fanja. She previously lived in Sydney for more than a decade and during that time became an Australian citizen.
Duje Markovina make his allegiance known in Brisbane yesterday.Credit: Glenn Hunt
The talented 17-year-old left-hander from Split has held an Australian passport since birth, but his family approached Tennis Australia about a potential switch midway through last year.
“Since I was born, I had [an Australian] citizenship or papers, so on one side, it feels strange, but it still feels quite normal,” Markovina told this masthead.
“Croatia, of course, means a lot to me. I lived my whole life there, and I was born there. But the Croatian [Tennis] Association is not as strong as Australia’s – nowhere close – so you have to do everything by yourself. I know what my goals are, and where I want to get, and this is the best option for me.
“I made the decision because of all the environments they can give, in tennis and also in life. It’s an amazing country to live here. It’s beautiful.”
The wheels have been in motion since TA’s national academy director, Nicole Kriz, watched Markovina win his first-round match at the Roehampton junior event in July, then met Fanja to discuss the possibility of her son representing Australia.
Markovina arrived in Brisbane, where TA’s national academy is based, in September and stayed through Christmas, and he is now officially an Australian for ATP and ITF playing purposes.
He will compete in the Australian Open boys’ singles draw and the traditional lead-in event at Traralgon. Former Australian Davis Cup representative Wayne Arthurs is coaching Markovina.
Markovina has captured double-digit national junior titles in Croatia.
Adopted Australian tennis players across the years
Melisa Ercan (Turkey)
Maya Joint (United States)
Jarmila Gajdosovoa (Slovakia)
Sacha Jones (New Zealand)
Duje Markovina (Croatia)
Anastasia Rodionova (Russia)
Arina Rodionova (Russia)
Daria Saville (Russia)
Ajla Tomljanovic (Croatia)
He was also the male recipient of the Dražen Petrović Award in 2022, which the Croatian Olympic Committee awards to emerging athletes to recognise outstanding results. Petrović was a star basketballer for both Croatia and in the NBA before being killed in a car accident in 1993.
“I haven’t had much [reaction to my move yet] because I only just switched, but it’s not going to be positive,” Markovina said.
Markovina is not the first Croatian to start representing Australia, with Ajla Tomljanovic making the same choice in 2014 for similar reasons. Tennis is a rudely expensive sport to pursue at the elite level, and Croatia’s federation boasts nothing like the riches of its Australian counterpart.
Markovina’s family was unable to afford for him to play at any of the junior grand slams last year despite him being good enough to contest qualifying.
He is set to be well inside the top 100 boys’ rankings once players no longer eligible for juniors drop off in the next update. Lleyton Hewitt’s son, Cruz, is ranked one spot above him, and they are set to join forces at the Australian Open junior tournament.
“I want to be No.1 and win a grand slam,” Markovina said of his career goals. “If I didn’t say it out loud that means I’m not believing in it, and it’s not going to bring me that much closer to it.”
Markovina’s decision comes 12 months after one of Australia’s most promising juniors, Charlie Camus, chose to represent France.
Fellow teenagers Melisa Ercan (Turkey) and Maya Joint (United States) both committed to Australia in recent years, while the likes of Daria Saville, the Rodionova sisters – Anastasia and Arina – and Jarmila Gajdosova are other examples of players who switched to the green and gold.
Joint’s father, Michael, is from Melbourne, but she grew up in Michigan and is one of a group of hugely promising young Australian women on the verge of breaking into the top 100.
Markovina is aiming to contest all four junior grand slams this year, while also slashing his ATP ranking inside the top 600 to begin competing in Challengers.
“I would say that I’m an all-court player. I think I have a different variation of shots that I can use in different times, depending on tactics and opponents,” he said.
“I’m working on my movement being more aggressive going forwards, and getting to the net.”
Markovina’s parents, Fanja and Sinisa, and his brothers, Roko and Ivan, remain living in Split.
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