Carlos Alcaraz's French Open opponent, a war survivor, narrowly escaped death
Damir Dzumhur was born in the middle of the Yugoslav Wars in 1992, with his mother having to dodge shelling and barricades to safely make it to a Sarajevo hospital to give birth
Competing in the French Open, Damir Dzumhur's resolve harked back to his birth during the Yugoslav Wars. After trailing by two sets, the 33 year old Bosnian tennis pro valiantly claimed the third set before falling to world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz with scores of 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
Alcaraz, one of the favorites for the tournament, recently beat Jannik Sinner in the Italian Open, while Rafael Nadal wasn't too happy with how the young Spaniard was portrayed on Netflix.
Dzumhur entered the world in May 1992 amid the tumult of Bosnia, just weeks after the conflict began. While carrying him, his mother braved shelling and roadblocks to give birth in a Sarajevo hospital, which was later nearly destroyed following their departure as the violence raged on. Tennis became Dzumhur's sanctuary amidst the warfare as he played where his father worked as a coach.
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The adversity forged his character and competitive nature, evident both on the court and in his off-court pursuits, including a political science degree and acting in films.
In an interview with Clay, Dzumhur reflected on his indomitable spirit: "Probably one big part of me, my fighting spirit and the energy on court come from that time, because I was born May 20, one month and few weeks after the war started in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sarajevo. The war began April 6 and we had to go four years [of] occupation in my country."
"Obviously, I was very young to remember it, but I'm pretty much sure that this fighting spirit comes from also fighting that time, not just me but also my family, my parents who were all the time in Sarajevo during the war. I'm sure it affects me in a good way."
Three years ago, Dzumhur faced a life-threatening health scare when he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Thanks to his exceptional physical condition honed by his tennis career, doctors believe it's what saved his life.
The world No. 63 shared: "I lost eleven kilos in just a few days. It was a really tough time, but after that, once I was back on court, I started to enjoy tennis even more. I'm happy I got a second chance."
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As Bosnia's sole top-100 player, Dzumhur enjoys celebrity status in his country. He previously dated model and ex-Big Brother contestant Barbara Segetin, with whom he has a son named Luka.
Following a match that pushed Alcaraz to his limits at Roland Garros, Dzumhur is set to return home to an even warmer welcome.
