Lajović: I am happy with the way I played

Serbia’s Dušan Lajović advanced to the quarterfinals of the Belgrade Open.

After six consecutive defeats – five of them in the first round – Lajović was triumphant in his second match in Belgrade. His opponent was France’s Jeremy Chardy, and the Serbian player won in straight sets, 6:3, 6:4.

“Compared to my first match, I felt much better. I didn’t start well, he broke my serve immediately but, other than that, I enjoyed playing. I gave it my all and that’s a great feeling. Jeremy and I played some good matches in the past. There were some difficult moments in the second set when he could have come back. I had some good service games today. I am happy with the way I played and fought, especially since I won in straight sets,” said Lajović.

He will play against Slovakia’s qualifier Andrej Martin in the quarterfinals, which is scheduled for Thursday.

“We played each other in challengers and many other tournaments. He seemed like a good player, he’s a fighter, he likes tennis but, upon moving to seniors, he somehow shut himself out and played in the Challenger tour. It is characteristic of him that he is a great fighter – we could see that today. His play is consistent, he has solid shots. He isn’t too aggressive, he can be more passive at times but his defence is very good. It’s up to me to go into the match knowing that he will fight. I’ll try to impose my rhythm. You need to be patient against such players. It’s good that I’ve already won in two matches,” said the Serb.

On Roland Garros:

“Paris courts are faster and harder, I think that’s good in combination with the balls since they are a bit slower than in previous years. In the past, I also used to go to Roland Garros after some other tournament and I’ve always felt good there. The conditions there suit me. I hope that this week – where I had multiple matches – will positively affect the pre-Grand Slam process. This is what I have been looking for this whole clay season,” he pointed out.

He once again emphasised that staying in Europe is better than going to the Tokyo Olympics.

“I hear from other players that it’s hard for them to decide in this situation. Especially so for the guys from the top who have a chance to get a medal. From my point of view, the ATP Tour is, in a way, returning to normal and it feels natural to me to stay in Europe because the tournaments are no longer played in bubbles. That decision is individual for all tennis players,” concluded Lajović.