Dusan Lajovic's resilience payed off as he denied Andrey Rublev's comeback in the 2023 Srpska Open final, claiming his first ATP title since 2019.
As the tennis world watched the 2023 Srpska Open final in Banja Luka on a day packed with finals also in Stuttgart where Swiatek beat Sabalenka, Munich's thriller which resulted in Rune's win, and Barcelona final between Alcaraz and Tsitsipas, Dusan Lajovic and Andrey Rublev faced off in a thrilling encounter in front of the packed stands in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The match began with a remarkable display of resolve from Lajovic, who saved three break points in the first game. Fueled by his earlier victory against world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, Lajovic kept up the momentum, capitalizing on one of his five break points to secure a one-break lead in the opening set. Despite Rublev's attempts to regain control, Lajovic closed the first set with a 6-3 victory.
Not one to go down without a fight, Rublev came back with a vengeance in the second set. Breaking Lajovic's serve twice and only losing his own once, Rublev evened the score by winning the second set 6-4. As the match entered its final chapter, the intensity grew.
In the deciding set, Lajovic raced ahead with a 5-1 lead, seemingly on the verge of sealing the match. However, Rublev showed his fighting spirit by clawing back one break and taking the score to 30-15 in the tenth game. With the set reaching its climax, Rublev pushed Lajovic's serve to deuce twice, but the Serbian held his nerve.
Ultimately, Dusan Lajovic emerged victorious, winning the final set 6-4 and claiming his first ATP title since 2019 and only his second-ever ATP-level title. On Monday, the Serb will rise by 30 places in the ATP Rankings and enter the Top 40 again.
0 Comments