Arevalo and Pavic relive magical 2024 through ITF World Champion award
In the rafters of a court which means so much to them, El Salvador’s Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic of Croatia became the latest 2024 ITF World Champions presented by UNIQLO to be honoured with their trophies.
The ITF are presenting players with their 2024 ITF World Champion accolades, which are given to the most outstanding competitors each year, at prominent and meaningful locations throughout the season.
For Arevalo and Pavic, it does not get more sentimental than Court Philippe Chatrier. The duo sealed their maiden Grand Slam men’s doubles triumph together on the most famous of Parisian clay courts, defeating Italian’s Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in last year's final.
They also won three other titles together during a dream 2024 – at Hong Kong, Geneva and the Cincinnati Open – before reaching the doubles final at the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
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This was enough to see the dynamic duo finish the campaign as the year-end No. 1 men’s doubles team, which brought with it much-coveted and well-deserved ITF World Champion status.
“We are extremely happy to receive the ITF World Champion award and we are extremely happy because we had an amazing season in 2024,” said Arevalo. "We are looking forward to playing a lot more matches together."
Pavic added: “Thank you everybody for this achievement of being recognised as an ITF World Champion. There were big things from us in 2024, and we are very excited and happy.”
With Arevalo’s award came a piece of history as he became the first player from El Salvador – across any category – to be crowned an ITF World Champion. Needless to say, this remains an exceptionally proud moment for the Central American nation.
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Pavic, however, has seen it and done it all before. For him, this is a second ITF World Champion award having won the men’s doubles category alongside fellow countryman Nikola Mektic in 2021.
Nevertheless, it remains just as proud a moment for him as it does Arevalo. The 2024 campaign was extremely symbolic for the 31-year-old as this was the year in which he completed the career Grand Slam in men’s doubles with that victory in Paris.
The pair have been at it again this season as well, winning three ATP Masters 1000 events together already – and it is only June. They have conquered all before them at Indian Wells, Miami and Rome.
While there will not be a repeat of their Roland Garros triumph – Arevalo and Pavic lost in the third round – further glory is surely just around the corner.