Dedura-Palomero: "Grass is for golfers"

Pedro de Pablos | 25 Mar 2026 | 23.47

Dedura-Palomero: "The grass is for golf players"

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Diego Dedura-Palomero is one of the young pearls on the ATP circuit. At just 18 years old, the German tennis player with Chilean roots is making strides in the circuit at a giant pace, and he has appeared on the 'Raquetas y Palas' podcast to outline his midterm goals on the circuit, as well as the role of his father as coach.

Quite literally, Dedura-Palomero has covered all bases in this interview, making it clear that he doesn't hold back when expressing his opinions. A different kind of strong-willed character on his way to the top of the ATP circuit in the upcoming years, he is one of the pillars of a generation poised to disrupt the plans of the big shots if they stay on the right path. Steady progress, but no rush.

"On the court, I'm a fighter, someone who wants to win 100%. Off the court, I'm a very boring person. I'm very messy, I like to stay calm... Because in tennis, you spend a lot. On the court, I have a lot of adrenaline, but off it, I like to do everything peacefully. I don't enjoy celebrating much, like boys aged 18 to 22, who drink a lot, those things don't appeal to me much," he confesses.

Dedura Palomero talks about the role of his parents in his career

The German tennis player, who speaks perfect Spanish due to his roots, also discussed his media growth in recent months. "Social media always push you, and you also play with much more pressure. I gained a lot of experience by playing professionally. For instance, last year was my first full year playing. My mindset is maturing a lot, and I am improving more in challenging situations. Losses are more important to me than wins. Because that's when you listen more to the coaches. After the losses, your ego diminishes a bit."

Surprisingly, Diego didn't choose tennis; it was his father who steered him towards it from a young age. "Playing tennis was not really my decision, because my dad started training me at three. It became so professional at one point that I thought, well, I have to walk this path and put all my eggs in one basket. I went through everything with my parents, with my mom also, who is a coach too. Thanks to them, I didn't always have to make decisions alone. They always supported me during that time, for example, with contracts. It's important to have someone by your side who wants the best for you."

His father also serves as a coach, a crucial role in his development. "My father and I always talk because I don't like hearing too much when the match is tense; I prefer to stay calm and have a clear mind. Sometimes a comment comes, and I tell him to be quiet. I can do those things with my dad, but with another coach who is above, you couldn't say those things. Still, it's very hard to see my father as a coach, but I said I have to accept that, and I think it's going somewhat well."

Dedura-Palomero gives his opinion on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner

He also highlighted the flip side of tennis, the unseen part. "It's a very individual sport. Everyone has their team and is with them all the time, especially the top players. Always the players who are the most selfish, because everything you do is for yourself, and that's why it's a challenging sport. It always helps to talk with people, with friends, and I always try to call certain people. It's easier when you win because everyone calls you, but when people lose, you always have your family behind you, always pushing you back up."

Regarding the current level of the circuit, Dedura praised the two current dominators and the future heirs to the throne. "Alcaraz and Sinner are the best and very tough to beat because they are geniuses. They are different players, legends. I also really like Jack Draper and Lorenzo Musetti. I think those two could beat Alcaraz or Sinner sometimes. Not all the time, as that won't happen, but sometimes. From my generation, I believe Kouamé will reach high; he's been playing really well and has a lot of potential to rise. Many boys are coming through, like Budkov Kjaer or Sakamoto or Cinà."

Dedura discusses his short and midterm objectives

When it comes to his future, he prefers not to set too many expectations for himself. "You cannot control the ranking or how you play. The only thing you can control is how you think on the court, how hard you work. If I drop in the rankings, it's because I played against a good player, and he beat me; I can't control that. But how I continue or how I think after the matches, that's something I can change. Then I have a good week of play, and those points come back."

I think that's the most critical aspect in tennis, always keep going, don't give up because you had a bad week. At some point, you'll have a breakthrough, and for me, that happened recently. You need to keep working. My big goal is to play in the Grand Slams, although probably not on grass because I'm not a big fan. Grass is for golf players, not for tennis players. I want to play the US Open and then qualify for the Next Game, which is the biggest aim because, to be honest, there is a lot of money at stake there and it's significant for my career."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Dedura-Palomero: "La hierba es para jugadores de golf"

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