The Split native has come to his most significant achievement at just 24 years old.
On the ATP ranking to be announced on Monday, Mate Pavić will be the world's best tennis player in doubles, reports Gol.hr on May 18, 2018.
All obstacles in the way of getting Pavić to the top were eliminated after Polish player Lukasz Kubot and Brazilian Marcelo Melo were defeated in the quarterfinals of Rome by the Colombian combination Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Roberto Farah. Pavić will jump over Kubot and Melo who had the same number of points before Rome.
With his partner Oliver Marach, Pavić made it up to the quarterfinals where they lost the Spanish-Uruguay duo Marcel Granollers and Pablo Cuevas 6:3, 7:6 (4).
In his career thus far, the 24-year-old Split tennis player, who will celebrate his 25th birthday on July 4th, has won three Grand Slam tournaments in doubles competitions. With Germany's Laura Siegemund, he won the US Open in 2016, and in 2018, Mate had a fantastic start - triumphing at the Australian Open in both male and mixed doubles (with Oliver Marach and Gabriela Dabrowski). He also played the final of Wimbledon in 2017.
Considering his young age and the fact that doubles players usually compete until they're 40, there is no doubt that we will see Mate in the world’s best for a long time with many phenomenal results to come.
Pavić will become the youngest world number one in the doubles competition in the last 22 years. The last time the top saw someone as young was in February 1996 when Australian Todd Woodbridge secured the position at 24 years old and ten months.
Pavić will officially be the first Croatian on the top of the ATP ranking on Monday. Goran Ivanišević was once number two in individual competitions, while Ivan Ljubičić and Marin Čilić achieved third.
The fantastic day for Croatian tennis in Rome was completed by Marin Čilić who advanced to the semifinals of the tournament in singles.
Bravo, Mate!
