Young Bulgarian tennis player Ivan Ivanov returned triumphantly to Varna after an impressive victory at the prestigious youth tournament "Wimbledon", repeating Grigor Dimitrov's success from 17 years ago. Around 7:30 PM, dozens of enthusiastic fans welcomed the athlete at Varna Airport, including the youngest representatives of Varna tennis clubs.
In an exclusive interview with the media, Ivanov shared emotional details about his achievement. He revealed that Rafael Nadal personally congratulated him via video call, which he described as an exceptional privilege. "Rafa was very happy," the young champion emphasized.
Among his main ambitions, Ivanov pointed out his desire to improve on hard courts, admitting that the transition from youth to men's tournaments requires exceptional discipline and concentration. "I'm No. 1 in the rankings from Monday and I'm extremely satisfied with my progress this year," he stated.
The tennis community showed enormous interest in the 16-year-old athlete's achievement. The youngest talents from Varna clubs took the opportunity to get autographs and take photos with the new champion, who is already emerging as a future star of Bulgarian tennis.
Ivanov shared that the Wimbledon trophy is packed in one of his bags and promised to officially present it at an upcoming press conference on Thursday. Among his future sports goals, he mentioned a potential future competition with Nadal, which further fuels interest in his developing career.
The return of the young champion was met with exceptional enthusiasm, with his colleagues, coaches, and fans defining it as another proof of Bulgarian tennis's potential on the international sports scene.