When you’re at the Rafa Nadal Academy 24/7, you get used to seeing cracked players everywhere. But there are those who just hit a decent ball, and then there’s Ivan. To the world, he’s the 2025 sensation and a top-tier player bagging Junior Majors. To us, he’s the bro we grab breakfast with and “die” alongside during fitness sessions.
Today, I want to tell you about my peer, the Bulgarian “Lion” Ivan Ivanov. We study together at the Rafa Nadal School, and he’s proving that if you grind exactly the way Rafa teaches us, you can unlock any level.
From Varna to Manacor Ivan is an ’08 kid, just like me. He started in Bulgaria, but his real level-up is happening right here on the Manacor courts. Everyone knows how hard it is to get into the Academy, but it’s even harder to stick around. Ivan didn’t just stay—he became one of the main faces of our school.
His playstyle is aggression on max settings plus discipline. Anyone who’s sparred with him knows what’s up: his two-handed backhand is a straight-up cheat code. It’s impossible to counter.
2025: The Year He Popped Off While we were all trying to boost our ITF rankings, Ivan did something unreal. This year was a total breakthrough for him:
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Wimbledon: He secured the W and became only the second Bulgarian in history (after Grigor Dimitrov) to lift that trophy. Winning on grass takes serious skill, and we saw how much he drilled the specific movement before heading to London.
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US Open: As if one Slam wasn’t enough, he bagged the title in New York too, cementing himself as the undisputed Junior World No. 1.
Rafa Nadal himself gave him props personally. Honestly, when the “King of Clay” daps you up and says “Bravo,” that hypes you up more than any energy drink.
Life at the Academy: Not Just Tennis Ivan and the rest of us know the vibe at the RNA (Rafa Nadal Academy) isn’t just about the wins. It’s waking up at crazy hours, the grind under the Spanish sun, and school. Yeah, Ivan, just like us, has to stress about exams and classes in between matches.
What’s cool about him is his chill. On the court, he’s on fire, but in life—in the locker room or the classroom—he’s just a humble guy with zero ego who’s always down to chat.
What’s Next? Now, at 17, Ivan Ivanov is already making moves on the pro ATP tour. He’s made his debut for the Bulgarian national team in the Davis Cup and is ready for the big leagues.
A photo of my younger brother with Ivan, whom he considers his sports idol.
