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Dusan Lajović i Nikola Milojević w trosce o zdrowie poddali się testom na obecność koronawirusa. Obaj wystąpili w turnieju Adria Tour w Belgradzie, gdzie mieli kontakt z tenisistami zakażonymi COVID-19.
Marcin Motyka
Marcin Motyka
25 Czerwca 2020, 08:35
Dusan Lajović
PAP/EPA / ANDREJ CUKIC / Na zdjęciu: Dusan Lajović


Tenis. Novak Djoković zakażony koronawirusem!
Rywalizujący w turnieju cyklu Adria Tour w Zadarze Novak Djoković, Grigor Dimitrow i Borna Corić są zakażeni koronawirusem, podobnie jak Viktor Troicki, którego w Chorwacji zabrakło. Pozostali uczestnicy imprezy poddali się testom na obecność COVID-19, a niektórzy - mimo negatywnych wyników - profilaktycznie zdecydowali się na dwutygodniową kwarantannę.
Badania pod kątem COVID-19 przeszli także Dusan Lajović i Nikola Milojević. Obaj serbscy tenisiści wprawdzie nie wystąpili w Zadarze, ale uczestniczyli w rozegranym tydzień wcześniej turnieju w Belgradzie, gdzie mieli kontakt z zakażonymi koronawirusem kolegami z zawodowych kortów.


O testach Lajovicia i Milojevicia poinformował Sasa Ozmo, jeden z czołowych serbskich dziennikarzy zajmujących się tenisem. Obaj na szczęście są zdrowi.

- Dobre wieści. Lajović i Milojević są negatywni - napisał Ozmo w artykule dla "Sportklubu".

Serbian came into event with 0-3 record since the resumption

Dusan Lajovic continued to grow in confidence on Thursday by reaching the Internazionali BNL d’Italia third round. The Serbian capitalised on the service woes of Milos Raonic, who hit 10 double faults, for a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-2 victory in two hours and 32 minutes.

World No. 25 Lajovic, who now plays nine-time Rome champion Rafael Nadal on Friday, came into the ATP Masters 1000 tournament with an 0-3 record since the ATP Tour resumption.

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Lajovic was the beneficiary of a concentration lapse in the first-set tie-break and, after exchanging service breaks once more early in the second set, it was Raonic who steered a backhand crosscourt winner into space for a break at 3-3. Lajovic regrouped in the decider, breaking down Raonic’s game for a 3-1 lead and he completed victory when Raonic missed a forehand.

Raonic, who won 17 of his 23 points at the net, committed 25 errors off his forehand wing. Last month, the 29-year-old Canadian reached his fourth Masters 1000 final (l. to Djokovic).

Casper Ruud earned his 15th victory of the year (15-7) with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Lorenzo Sonego on Grand Stand Arena. The Buenos Aires champion, who beat No. 11 seed Karen Khachanov in the first round on Monday, broke serve on four occasions to book a third-round clash against Marin Cilic after one hour and 47 minutes.

Lajovic played almost flawlessly on Thursday to beat eighth seed Karen Khachanov 6-1, 6-2 in 62 minutes for a place in the last eight. Lajovic hit 15 winners to extend his perfect ATP Head2Head record to 4-0 against Khachanov (8-0 in sets).


Lajovic broke for a 3-1 lead in the first set when he moved Khachanov around the court to gain an error. Khachanov’s frustration built up after he struck a forehand into the net to gift Lajovic the sixth game. Lajovic won 16 of his 19 service points in the 26-minute opener.

There were five service breaks in a row in the second set, which turned in Lajovic’s favour once Khachanov hit a forehand wide — one of 20 unforced errors for the Russian — on break point at 2-2. Lajovic extended his lead to 5-2 with a fine crosscourt forehand winner and in the next game the Serbian closed out his 13th victory of the season with a forehand approach winner.

earn more about the 30-year-old Serbian

In the latest installment of our popular series, World No. 26 Dusan Lajovic reveals the last time...

I missed a flight?
The last time I missed a flight was five years ago. I was flying from Barcelona to Belgrade via Zurich. I missed the flight in Zurich and then we took a flight through Munich and missed the flight from Munich. We then took a flight to Frankfurt and finally, after 26 hours, got home. The first flight was late and then everything else [went wrong].

I lost something important?
I lost an iPad and headphones in 2013 on a flight to Kenya to do pre-season. It is my fault because I left them in the seat pocket on the plane. As soon as I got into the car to drive to the house, I realised I was missing them. Trying to get something back in Kenya was very difficult.

I cooked for myself and others?
In August, I made my famous chia pudding for breakfast for my team, my coaches and myself. It was a Michelin star meal.


Being famous helped me?
A couple of free meals in Serbian restaurants, when they recognise us, is always a good thing. We used Novak’s image in LA to get into a restaurant. It helped knowing Nole.

I went to a music concert?
After Wimbledon last year, I went to a festival in Serbia, in Novi Sad. It is called Exit. It is one of the most famous in Europe and I had a blast. I liked it because it was in a fortress and you had all different kinds of music. I went to [visit] electronical [acts], a couple of DJs. DJ Solomun was one of them, he is one of the best in Europe right now. It was really fun because I stayed up late and stayed there [until] the sunrise. It is really magical place.

I paid to rent a tennis court?
It was in Uzbekistan, ages ago. I remember we paid three dollars for one hour.

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I paid to buy tennis balls?
Last December. I bought a box of tennis balls. It was €90 for a box of 72 balls, I think.

I strung a tennis racquet?
I did in Kenya six years ago. two hours for one racquet. I am very bad.

I watched a new TV series?
Dark, it is a German show about time travel. I recommend it.

I shared a hotel room with another player?
I did a couple of times this year with my doubles partner and friend Nikola Cacic, just because we were not getting into some tournaments and then it would be tough for him to pay for an extra room. Since we are childhood friends, for us it is like we are brothers.

Serbian competes in Group A at ATP Cup
Dusan Lajovic is set to kick off his season at the ATP Cup, joining World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Filip Krajinovic and Nikola Cacic when Team Serbia takes the court as the defending champion.

But even though he’s far from Serbia, Lajovic is feeling right at home. In fact, he has brought the whole neighbourhood with him: All four players reside in the same condominium complex in Belgrade. “Only one is ‘the impostor,'’' Lajovic joked. “[Our captain] Viktor [Troicki] lives in the centre of the city. We’ll try to welcome him and do our best to make him feel like he’s a part of the neighborhood.”

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Lajovic, who is currently No. 26 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, won four of his six singles matches to help Serbia clinch the title last year, including standout victories over Top 20 Russian Karen Khachanov and #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. ATPTour.com caught up with Lajovic before this year’s event.

Why are you excited about representing Serbia again in the ATP Cup?
Personally, I think it was one of the greatest events that I participated in, and especially winning a title was an incredible experience with so many emotions. So many people from Serbia were there supporting us from the first day in Brisbane until the last day in Sydney at the final. And honestly, it felt like we were playing at home in the middle of our country. The people supporting us were really nice, and they kept on supporting us at events after the ATP Cup.

I think the new energy that it brought and the new format was also one of the things that was so interesting. On the other hand, being part of the team, who are my friends off the court, was another thing that really brought the emotion and togetherness in competing in an event that is not just individual.

Representing your country is an honour that you only have once or twice in a year. The whole concept of being in a team, it’s a very rare opportunity for us. You’re not playing for yourself, you’re playing for your team. And in this case, you’re playing for the people who are also your friends, and that makes it even more special.

What is your favourite memory from last year’s tournament?
I don’t think there is only one memory. The matches that I played really well, the fights on court that were really tense, playing in this kind of environment in front of a crowd that was following every point very closely and trying to engage every time they could… This was the memory that I took from the overall experience. It was just going through every match and every tie that impacted me the most.


What does Team Serbia look like this year?
Team Serbia is me, Novak, Filip and Nikola with our captain Viktor. Actually from the five of us, four of us live in the same condominium in Belgrade. Only one is ‘the impostor’: Viktor who lives in the centre of the city. We’ll try to welcome him and do our best to make him feel like he’s a part of the neighborhood as well…

I’m only joking. We’ve just been friends for so long that it feels like home. It doesn’t matter that we’re on the other side of the world, just being with people that are close to you is a good feeling. You feel more relaxed and comfortable and safe.

Do you have any stories of you and your teammates from last year?
I will just say that last year during the ATP Cup, we played this card game Uno a lot. And it was as tense as it is on the court. The chairs were flying, the cards were flying off the balcony… It was really fun, and I hope this year we can have the same experience when we get together again.

If you could take one stroke from any one of your countrymen, what would it be and why?
Just one stroke? I would probably take eight out of 10 strokes from Novak at this point and then I don’t need anything else… Let’s say Novak’s return. I know it’s not one stroke, but I’d take his return and then let's start from there.

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Which player is most likely to not show up to a Team Serbia dinner on time?
Also Novak.

Which player is most likely to be the team’s hype man?
I would say Viktor.

What are three things you love most about Serbia?
The food, the people and the nature.

Tell us one stereotype about your country or countrymen that's true and one that's a common misconception.
That you have Serbians everywhere you go. This is true, it’s completely true. Any country I go to, any tournament that I play, there are Serbians there. And my coach, who is Spanish, is like, “How come there are Serbians everywhere we go?” I mean, in Argentina, in Australia… we go to Brazil and there are Serbians there. Anywhere in Asia, there are Serbians. And we are a pretty small country!

The misconception… I think if you see any Serbians in American movies they are always some evil characters or shady backgrounds. We make good villains, but Serbian people are not all like that!

Tell us about one signature food from your country.
My favourite Serbian food… it’s tough to translate it in English. It’s called “sarma” (Serbian stuffed cabbage). It’s minced meat with rice, rolled into a cabbage which is cooked for a long time. It’s really delicious and we eat it for holidays.