Dusan Lajovic at the Banja Luka Open, credit : Tennis.com
He's not necessarily spectacular to watch, rarely displays his emotions and lacks Grand Slam achievements. Worse still, he had the misfortune to compete at the same time as the greatest player of all time, Novak Djokovic, another Serbian.
For all these reasons, Lajovic is certainly not a player who fills stadiums and could almost go incognito walking down the aisles of the Australian Open site without being stopped by a crowd of excited spectators.
At almost 34 years of age, Dusan Lajovic is not a marketing player and is inevitably approaching the end of his career. He will most likely retire in silence, at home in Serbia, reflecting the career of a quiet player who has probably never really liked drawing attention to himself.
Far, far away from the media spotlight and the sponsors, the Serb may not ring a bell, but behind the surface certainly lies the most underrated player of the ATP circuit.
Credit TennisTV
A technically impeccable one-handed backhand, a lifted forehand and an effective kick serve on clay, this description may seem simplistic, but it does describe Dusan Lajovic in a nutshell.
A world away from John Isner's serve, Del Potro's forehand and compatriot his Djokovic's backhand, Lajovic's game is much more composed, based on the meticulous construction of each point.
Admittedly, there's nothing very flahsy in Dusan Lajovic, no hot shots, tweener and acrobatic dives, yet this recipe has enabled him to take down members of the top 10 on ten occasions throughout his career, making him a considerable threat to the very best.
Having triumphed over Djokovic, Rublev, Sinner, Ruud and Auger Aliassime over the last two seasons, Lajovic clearly possesses the ability to overcome his opponents in a best-of-3 set match.
Finalist at the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 in 2019, the Belgrade native had already proved to the world his ability to defeat the greatest players, day after day, especially on clay, his surface of predilection.
Decidedly, tennis players are bad students, and 4 years later, the lesson still doesn't seem to have been learned. At the Banja Luka tournament, Dusan Lajovic once again reminded all those who had the misfortune to cross his path that he was more than just an ordinary player on the ATP circuit.
Lajovic reaching the Monte Carlo final in 2019, Credit : Eurosport
The Serb owes his success on the professional circuit neither to his super-powered strength nor to his innate talent, but rather to the intelligence developed throughout his long career.
Dusan Lajovic may not have the best weapons to perform at the highest level, but the way he uses them makes him one of the most interesting players of recent years.
« What I’m trying to do is use my weapons in the best way against certain opponent »
Analyzing his opponent, building a plan that takes into account his strengths and weaknesses, this is how Lajovic has survived at the highest level for so many years.
At the Paris Olympics, Lajovic will undoubtedly be overshadowed (as always) by his compatriot Djokovic, and yet, on the Paris clay, Dusan Lajovic may well spring a surprise.
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