He already knew the preseason facilities well, having spent several weeks there preparing for the opening leg of the 2026 tour in Australia. The preparation paid off. He was crowned junior champion at the Australian Open, a remarkable achievement for the country of cyclist Tadej Pogačar, NBA star Luka Dončić, ski jumper Domen Prevc, and handball talents such as Domen Makuc and Blaz Janc, both of whom play for Barcelona.
Tennis has not produced as many standout figures in Slovenian sport, which is understandable considering the background of this new rising star. He was born in the small town of Hrastnik, population 15,000, where the local club had just four clay courts and winter play was impossible.
Slovenia currently sits 59th in the world ranking of the Davis Cup. Among the country’s notable retired players are Aljaž Bedene, who reached No. 43 in the world rankings and once nearly represented Great Britain before timing issues prevented him from competing at the Olympic Games, and Grega Žemlja, who also peaked at No. 43 and at one point coached the nation’s new hope, 17 year old Žiga Šeško, later calling him up as captain for the historic team competition.
Šeško left Melbourne quickly after defeating American Keaton Hance in the final to join the Slovenian national team. Slovenia ultimately lost 3 to 1 against Turkey, with Šeško participating in the doubles match, which ended in defeat. His country’s highest ranked compatriots at the moment are Bor Artnak, age 21 and ranked No. 473, and Filip Jeff Planinšek, 24 years old and ranked No. 580.
Šeško became the first Slovenian to win a junior Grand Slam tournament, achieving the feat in his third appearance at one. His victory surpassed the previous milestones reached by Mima Jaušovec, who finished as a junior finalist before later winning the French Open in 1977 under the Yugoslav flag, and Katarina Srebotnik.
Following his triumph in Australia and his rise to No. 4 in the junior world rankings, an agreement was reached for him to base himself at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor throughout 2026. He has recently joined the training program at the academy founded by his tennis idol Rafael Nadal, although stylistically his game resembles that of Swiss legend Roger Federer.
Together with his father, a table tennis player, he has pushed his development in tennis to the limit, also receiving financial support from the International Tennis Federation through a development program designed to assist countries with less tradition and fewer resources in the sport.
Šeško eventually had to leave both his hometown and Slovenia in search of stronger training conditions and tougher competition. At age 13 he joined the academy of Italian coach Riccardo Piatti in Bordighera, where he spent 18 months. The academy is also where Jannik Sinner developed before beginning his professional career under Piatti’s guidance.
A finalist at the M15 tournament in San Gregorio di Catania, his ninth and final professional event of last season, Šeško will now benefit from the resources of the Rafa Nadal Academy as he attempts to break into the elite level. The academy continues to attract top young talent, including Filipina player Alex Eala, Russian prospect Alina Korneeva, and junior world No. 1 Ivan Ivanov. It is also the place where Casper Ruud made his breakthrough and where Felix Auger-Aliassime has sought guidance.
Šeško, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2025 before falling in the first round of the US Open, has the appearance of a quiet blond teenager who would not hurt a fly. The braces lining his teeth make him look even younger. But on the court he is ready to fight and aims to give Slovenian men’s tennis a much needed boost in a country that has traditionally produced stronger female players.