THE Raphael is in the face of the greatest career distinction, with the young tennis player claiming his trophy Wimbledon U14 in the big Sunday final (13/7/25, 16:00) against Austrian Moritz Freitag, No2 in the rankings.
Rafael Pagonis in his 14th year is in the No. 1 Europe in the U14 category, with himself 3-0 (4-6, 6-2, 10-5) by Russian Nikita Berdin (No. 20 in Europe) while ensuring the historical qualification to the Wimbledon final. The young athlete has already impressed with his presence in European tennis, with the title being a dream for him.
As Pagonis has stated in an interview with Tennis Europe, he began playing at the age of two, with the encouragement of his father. “At 10, when I won the Pan -Hellenic Championship, I realized that I wanted to continue with tennis professionally,” he says, among other things, with the 14 -year -old involved in basketball, but his love for tennis as well as his constant progress made him. It is worth noting that Raphael’s father, Vasilis Pagonis, was a trainer with the aim of playing basketball, but a serious injury forced him to turn to tennis.
The story behind the awards
“I wake up to seven, I do gymnastics, then workout on my own and in the afternoon with a group. The rest of the day I do lessons and I sleep at nine, ”he describes. Its program includes physiotherapy, reserves, special diet and even Kung Fu, for physical and mental empowerment.
It is worth noting that Pagonis abandoned the traditional school since his 12 and now follows an intensive program that combines online training with high quality workouts!
In his 14 years he already counts dozens of titles in international and domestic tournaments, with himself being doubtful one of the greatest talents of his age.
The young athlete is training in Limassol, at the Mark Pagdatis Academy. A high level environment that helps him prepare properly for the demands of the international scene.
The Wimbledon U14 in which he wants to take the first place may be a step on a course that seems to have no ceiling. And if something is certain, it is that the young Greek will not stop fighting until he conquers them … everything.
His titles
Pagonis has already won the U10 Pan -Hellenic Championship twice, but also the title in the U12 category. In his trophy, a Masters U14 is already in line, while counting in the leading international tournaments of Juniors: Les Petits As, Juniors Orange Bowl (where he won 3rd in 2024) and IMG Future Stars, reaching the final in 2023.
At Tennis Europe level, his report impresses: 21 titles in 31 finals, both in single and double, in just two years. This year, fighting against older opponents, he has already won 7 tournaments in the single, confirming his constant rise.
He recently won his first title for 2025, in France’s famed Tim Essonne (Category 1). There he dominated Dano Moritz Fretag with 6-2, 7-6 (1) in the final, without losing a set throughout the tournament. Panhellenic Championships in the K10, K12 and K14 categories, dozens of titles in Tennis Europe tournaments, 3rd place in Orange Bowl, final at IMG Future Stars and an explosive presence in European Circuit, with 21 titles in 31 finals in two years.
Thirsty for big things
Raphael Pagonis declares ready and determined to reach the top!
“My dream is to conquer them all! To reach the No. 1 world, get a lot of Grand Slam and win the Olympic gold medal. There is nothing I don’t want to win in tennis. “
In terms of his standards, Pagonis declares Carlos Alcarat’s admirer, pointing out his aggressive approach to the game and how much he inspires him:
“I like to try to play like him. He fights, he’s fast. I think we have a similar style. “
His coach, George Fountoukos, sees a special case in his face: “Raphael can become a world -class player. He is a complete player from a young age and knows how to manage the pressure. It has the psychological stature that tennis requires. “
Comparisons with Tsitsipas are inevitable. As Fountoukos says, “different temperament, but both are fighters. Stefanos showed us the way. If Rafa does something similar, we will talk about a rare second case of Greek data. “