Borna Coric

Borna Coric is a Croatian tennis player who has earned widespread praise for his consistency and solid groundstrokes.

Coric first burst on to the scene along with other talented youngsters such as Alexander Zverev, Hyeon Chung and Denis Shapovalov, and has since made a mark for himself with his impressive work ethic and attitude. He has also contributed heavily to Croatia's Davis Cup team, taking them to the 2018 final with a string of hard-fought wins.

Best finish at each of the four Grand Slams:

Australian Open: 1st Round (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)

French Open: 3rd Round (2015, 2016, 2018)

Wimbledon: 2nd Round (2015)

US Open: 4th Round (2018)

Highest Ranking: No. 13

Style of play

Coric is a defensive baseliner who has often been called 'Baby Djokovic' because of the similarities in his game and Novak Djokovic's.

Like the Serb, Coric likes to patrol the baseline and use the opponent's pace against him. He relies on his precision and timing to extend points as much as he can, before forcing an error from the opponent or pulling the trigger on a short ball.

Coric doesn't approach the net a lot, but can hold his own while volleying.

Strengths and weaknesses

Coric's backhand is already world-class, and his down-the-line backhand in particular has given plenty of fits to all the players he has faced so far. With an abbreviated backswing much like Djokovic's, Coric can attack and defend effortlessly with his backhand, and is especially dangerous when pulled wide on that wing.

Coric is one of the quickest movers in the world, and can outrun almost any player. Capable of defending endlessly, Coric has been known to tire out his opponents with his machine-like efficiency from the baseline.

The Croat also has a good serve; he famously put in close to 80% first serves during his win over Roger Federer at the 2017 Shanghai Masters. His second serve, while not as quick as that of some of the tour's tall players, has a fair amount of kick that can open up the court for an easy putaway.

Coric's return of serve is again one of the best in the world. Taking the ball early off both wings, he can send back almost anything with interest, and neutralize points easily against even the biggest servers.

Coric's forehand is generally considered to be a weakness, as he is sometimes unable to generate enough pace off it. He is also occasionally criticized for being too passive in rallies; by relying too much on his defensive abilities, he lets opponents get into a strong hitting rhythm and take the match away from him.

Personal life

Coric was born in Zagreb, Croatia, to Damir and Zeljka. He also has a sister named Bruna.

Coric started playing tennis at the age of five, having been introduced to the sport by his father. He was a highly successful junior, winning the 2013 US Open boys' title and reaching the World No. 1 ranking.

Coric's idols while growing up were Rafael Nadal and Goran Ivanisevic, but by his own admission he has modeled his game on Djokovic's. He and Djokovic have met a few times on the ATP tour already, including the final of the 2017 Shanghai Masters, prompting many to claim they look like mirror images of each other on the court.

Coric has already notched up multiple wins over both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and is widely tipped to be one of the dominant forces on the men's tour over the next decade.

Social media presence:

Borna Coric Instagram: @bornacoric

Borna Coric Twitter: @borna_coric