Who is Diego Dedura-Palomero? Meet Germany’s latest teenage star

MUNICH—The new Center Court at the BMW Open by Bitpanda witnessed a moment of history this week—and by one of their home players. Aged 17, Diego Dedura-Palomera became the first player born in 2008 to win an ATP Tour match. The Berlin native was already leading 7-6, 3-0 when his opponent, world No. 29 Denis Shapovalov, retired from the match and handed him the win.

Dedura-Palomera’s celebration on court was anything but understated, as he drew a cross in the sand before lying down flat out on the ground. It was a reaction that provoked much debate on social media, given Shapovalov’s departure. So what was behind it?

“I would say I am quite religious. I believe in God and I think He helped me win today,” explained the 17-year-old in Munich.

I prayed for five minutes, and then I went out on court, took all my strength from Him, and then after the match, the gesture was simply gratitude.

The German only made it into the main draw less than 24 hours before his first match on Tuesday. After losing to Alexander Bublik in qualifying, Dedura-Palomero stayed on in Munich as the last of four Lucky Losers. The three players ahead of him benefited from Sunday withdrawals, but it looked like the 17-year-old wouldn’t be joining them—until late on Monday afternoon.

“I was in the players lounge, directly in the gym and then Gael Monfils came by. He went to the supervisor and I immediately realised, okay, something is wrong. My pulse went straight up, and then of course I was in the middle of the action, back to life,” he said.

Then Monfils told me that he was pulling out, he gave me a hug and said: ‘Yeah, good luck.’ He was super sweet and super nice to me. In the end, I came in and yes, I believe that everything happens for a reason in life.

“I knew that I had a feeling that I might win because I came in as a Lucky Loser and that's what happened!” he laughed.

“A complicated person”

Dedura-Palomero was born in 2008 to a Chilean father and a Lithuanian mother in Berlin. His unusual background has shaped him on and off the court. He speaks four languages—German, English, Spanish and Lithuanian—and he describes himself as “a complicated person”.

“I have many different aspects to me, which are a bit strange. I am very irregular. Otherwise, I'm very ambitious. I try to win every match and fight as hard as I can to the end. And of course, I'm always exhausted afterwards, even when I win.

I'm very emotional. I like to freak out, to take people with me, to just be there emotionally and to say: ‘Okay, now after the match, I really gave it my all.’ Otherwise, off the court, I'm actually quite the quiet type. I would also describe myself as nice.

As any other normal teenager, his parents are his biggest influences. Just like Germany’s current number one Alexander Zverev, Dedura-Palomero is coached by his father Cesar, with his mother Ruta also on hand to offer advice. Both are tennis players, as is brother Mariano, who also competes on the ATP Challenger Tour. He’s also spent time at the Nadal Academy honing his skills on his favorite surface of clay—following in the footsteps of his idol.

“Rafa has always been my role model since I was little. I watched all his matches. I know everything about him by heart,” he grinned.

“I think I would describe myself as a fighter. I think anyone can play forehand and backhand. In the end, it's also about work and I'm really good at it. And I've always had a thing about serve and volley.”

“More friends than competitors"

Fans have been quick to draw the comparison between Dedura-Palermo and another rising German star, Justin Engel. Engel wrote his own name into the ATP history books last year when he became the first player born in 2007 to win on the Tour. There’s less than six months between the two players in age. So could be witnessing the start of a new rivalry? A friendly one, perhaps.

“With Justin, there is always competition involved, but it is more friends than competitors. I know the boy inside out. We met last year. We are together all the time. He is at all the tournaments. I get along incredibly well with him. He's a super nice guy,” said Dedura-Palomero.

“I was also really happy when he had his ATP breakthrough in Almaty last year. We wrote to each other all the time and stuff. That's why it's hard to say in terms of competition. Of course I always look where he is playing. He always looks where I am playing, but in the end it's a good friendship and that's more important to me than the competition,” he added.

And what about his own ambitions for the future?

“It's hard to say in this sport because it goes up and down all the time. You can never say what will happen. I always try to stay as down-to-earth as possible. I'm not going to say an absolute number now for where I want to go, but that will be decided in the end.

“I'll try to be the best tennis player I can be. Just be myself.”