)
Simeon Lukanov has become the first Bulgarian tennis player born in 2010 to make his debut in men's professional tennis. While the prodigious Bulgarian-born talent Teo Davidov, known for his no backhand style, also born in 2010, entered the ATP rankings in February 2026 at just 15 years old, he competes for the USA.
Lukanov, who has been training at the Justine Henin Academy near Brussels for the past two years, fell 2-6, 6-7 (2) to Latvia's Kirills Sokolovs at the M15 World Tennis Tour event in Kuršumlijska Banja, Serbia. His 18-year-old opponent already holds an ATP ranking and primarily competes in men's tournaments, having largely moved past junior events.
Simeon had a strong start in the second set, leading 4-1 and 30-0, but the pressure of his debut seemingly got to him. He lost that game and subsequently the tie-break against the towering serve-bot.
Just two weeks prior, Simeon Lukanov and Ivo Naydenov reached the doubles semifinals at the Tennis Europe U16 tournament in Kauftalia, Greece. The Bulgarian juniors were defeated after a three-hour battle, losing two tie-breaks 6-7 (6), 6-7 (4) to the second-seeded home representatives.
&format=webp)
&format=webp)
&format=webp)
&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)