Dusan Lajovic introduced a stark reminder of the highs and lows of ATP Tour tennis on Wednesday on the Western & Southern Open.
Simply three days after Jannik Sinner lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto, Lajovic defeated the Italian 6-4, 7-6(4) in Cincinnati. The Serbian produced a surprising show of unpolluted hitting on Grandstand to overwhelm Sinner, who confirmed indicators of fatigue however was nonetheless outplayed by the Serbian qualifier.
“I clearly knew that it was going to be powerful as a result of at any time when you’re enjoying any person who’s in nice kind and has plenty of confidence, they play effectively within the vital moments,” stated Lajovic. “You may see that, he was saving so many break factors and all the things when it was shut, he was there.
“I knew I had been serving very effectively the previous couple of days, so I believed if I proceed to make use of my serve, each with the flat and the kick out broad, I might dominate the purpose after the serve. That is what I did more often than not in my service video games… I used to be joyful to complete in two units as a result of I do know that going three units towards these sorts of gamers, it’s all the time going to be a lot harder.”
4 wins this week 🔢
4 Prime 10 victories in a row 🔝Qualifier @Dutzee dismisses Toronto champion Sinner 6-4 7-6(4) with a elegant show@CincyTennis | #CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/hxwLDhccKC
— ATP Tour (@atptour) August 16, 2023
Lajovic’s very good all-around efficiency included successful 100 per cent (16/16) of factors on the internet and saving all 5 break factors he confronted. It was his fourth straight victory towards Prime 10 opponents, following his wins towards Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev en path to the title in Banja Luka and his victory towards Felix Auger-Aliassime in Madrid.
“I’ve began altering plenty of issues about me,” stated Lajovic, when requested in regards to the secret behind his current success towards the Tour’s prime gamers. “This 12 months I began doing plenty of psychological well being coaching, with a therapist and all the things, and I began to vary some issues about myself, which is all the time onerous and particularly if you find yourself over 30.
“We’re very established as what we’re [at that age], so altering takes nice effort, but it surely began working. I began enjoying this season rather well. I had unlucky timing with hen pox, which I acquired in Paris and was out till Wimbledon, and it took me a pair extra weeks to get again on observe. Now I’m lastly again the place I used to be earlier than.”
The World No. 66 Lajovic had not received a match in 4 makes an attempt in Cincinnati previous to defeating Francisco Cerundolo within the first spherical on Monday. The 33-year-old will look to proceed his run in Ohio by upsetting one other Prime 10 participant, residence favorite Taylor Fritz, within the third spherical.