Dusan Lajovic intent on Top 100 return after "worst season so far" 

Dusan Lajovic has spent nearly two decades navigating the highs and lows of professional tennis, carving out a career built on persistence, loyalty and a single-handed backhand that stands out in a two-handed era. Currently ranked No. 127 in the world and a former World No. 23, the man known on Tour as “Dutzee” still believes his best tennis can resurface.

This season has been far from straightforward.

“It’s been one of my worst seasons on Tour so far,” Lajovic admits candidly during the Copa Sevilla in early September. “I had ankle problems at the end of last season, and this year my knee also gave me trouble. The goal now is to get back into the Top 100. If I manage that, it will be a successful season regardless of the other results.”

Those words are delivered without self-pity, more a statement of intent.

Building a career on loyalty

One of the things that set Lajovic apart from his peers is his commitment to continuity. While many players rotate through coaches, he has worked with Spanish strategist José Perlas for nine seasons, an eternity by modern standards. “I’ve always believed in having your team for a longer period because it’s a process,” Lajovic explains. “Many players today change coaches a lot, but three to six months isn’t enough time for a coach to bring something new into your game. If you look at the top players, they stick with their teams.”

That long-term approach mirrors his steady career path. Lajovic has won two ATP Tour titles, in Umag, Croatia 2019 and Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2023, as well as eight Challenger crowns, including one this August in Cordenons, Italy. He has also experienced some of the sport’s biggest stages, such as reaching the 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters final and representing Serbia at the ATP Cup. “The atmosphere in Banja Luka was incredible. The stands were full every year,” he recalls.

Although based in Serbia, Lajovic trains several weeks a year in Castelldefels, near Barcelona, a city that reflects his sporting tastes. “I’m a big FC Barcelona supporter,” he smiles. “I prefer it when the ball is faster,” he adds, which may explain why Spanish clay, usually considered slower, hasn’t hindered his success. His two ATP Tour triumphs and his Challenger win this summer both came on clay.

From pizza to Pete Sampras

Lajovic’s path into tennis was anything but typical.

“In the city where I lived, I wanted to play football but there was no team for my age. The tennis club also had a pizzeria, so that’s how I started,” he laughs. That childhood detour eventually produced a world-class player whose childhood idol was Pete Sampras, though the serve-and-volley style never quite translated. “I couldn’t beat anybody indoors with serve and volley,” he jokes. Today, he enjoys watching Carlos Alcaraz. “With his game style, he’s an attractive player on court. It’s nice to see how tennis has developed over the last thirty years.”

A rare backhand in a power era

Another trademark of Lajovic’s game is his elegant single-handed backhand, a rarity in today’s power-driven tennis. He acknowledges the trade-off. “There are more disadvantages using a single-handed backhand today. If I had to teach kids now, I’d tell them to play a two-handed backhand. There’s a lot more power in today’s tennis, and you need to control your shots.”

For all the mileage on his body, Lajovic still feels motivated. He hasn’t mapped out his post-tennis life yet. “I have a lot of interests and things in mind, but I don’t put too much energy into it right now,” he says. “I’m still focused on my tennis career. I want to have a couple of good last years in tennis.”

And as for that unusual nickname? “To be honest, I have no idea. When I was a kid, everyone called me that. It’s not a standard nickname for Dusan, but I like it.”

Seasoned yet ambitious, grounded yet cosmopolitan, Dusan Lajovic embodies the resilience required to survive at the top level. With his trademark one-hander, long-time coach, and a passion for both Barcelona and Serbian roots, “Dutzee” is determined to write a few more memorable chapters before he hangs up his racquet.