Dusan Lajovic

In the relative lull of tennis debates where time is found for talking about the glory days of 606, Wozniacki and even Zvonareva, after a two week tennis fast I chose to see the new tennis name bursting out from nowhere: Dusan Lajovic.

Dusan is 21, from Belgrade, just like Djokovic, Tipsarevic, Trocki, Zimonjic, Ivanovic, Jankovic (and everyone else....)
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/La/D/Dusan-Lajovic.aspx

and here's a photo of him:
http://www.ontennis.com/files/images/Lajovic-Belgrade-2011.jpg

Yes, another Serb which I'm sure most people haven't heard about. Neither did I until last week, when he managed to qualify for Kremlin Cup, only to lose to Bogomolov Jr in the first round (after winning the 1s set). So I was a bit intrigued to find out more about him, esp. as the search is on for the "new" talent" , and Tomic, Raonic, Dimitrov, Dolgopolov, Harrison etc.have been analysed to bits.

TennisTv is not showing St Petersburg, but I persevered and managed to find a stream with St Petersburg and the last set of the Lajovic Sela match.

I'll be honest and admit I expected a base-line basher, stg like poor man's Troicki, but was really nicely surprised to see someone playing very "last century" tennis with nice forehand and a lovely, beautifully felt single backhand, needless to say, Lajovic plays attacking tennis.

His movement is good, and his game has many facets, certainly not a one trick pony.

The stream only had one camera shot so it was difficult to see everything, I really wanted to see his face when receiving serve, as that's where I can asses a player's IQ best (weird, I know, but that's me ).

Lajovic at 21 is certainly no tennis prodigy, but I look forward to seeing how his career unfolds.

Tomorrow, Lajovic will be playing his first ATP quarters, against, yes, Bogomolov Jr.

Let's see how quickly he learns.

Lajovic is the future of Serbian, single handed backhand, nice forehand, attacking tennis. This is a fact.

Welcome back after your mini-break. I would have thought that Serbs coming through now like Lajovic are set to achieve way more than they might if playing for another country - everyone benefits from the bar being at a high set.

barrystar wrote:Welcome back after your mini-break. I would have thought that Serbs coming through now like Lajovic are set to achieve way more than they might if playing for another country - everyone benefits from the bar being at a high set.

yes, indeed! Even Bolgomolov apparenlty wants to play for Russia now , so tomorrow's match will be quite charged as Bogomolov will want to prove himself in front of his "home" crowd"

Boggo will never find out, though

Marcus wrote:Lajovic is the future of Serbian, single handed backhand, nice forehand, attacking tennis. This is a fact.

marcus, is this really YOU , where are art thou now, Kennsington, Monte Carlo, Abu Dabi?

Well, it was nice to watch him play, I now it was "only" against Sela, and there seemed to be three people in the "crowd" (excluding the umpire and the coaches), he looks like someone who needs a bit of drilling on shots, at this stage he can go either ways, and noone will hear about him.
Sad how it goes for so many, really.
It would kill ME!

noleisthebest wrote:..I'll be honest and admit I expected a base-line basher, stg like poor man's Troicki, but was really nicely surprised to see someone playing very "last century" tennis with nice forehand and a lovely, beautifully felt single backhand, needless to say, Lajovic plays attacking tennis.
.....

Poor guy! Say no more! He is doomed in this day and age!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:..I'll be honest and admit I expected a base-line basher, stg like poor man's Troicki, but was really nicely surprised to see someone playing very "last century" tennis with nice forehand and a lovely, beautifully felt single backhand, needless to say, Lajovic plays attacking tennis.
.....

Poor guy! Say no more! He is doomed in this day and age!

You'd like his backhand Tenez, it's not overdone, quite elegant and even useful, uses it a lot for his approach shots, quite nice.

NiTB... welcome back. Let his racquet do the talking and see where he gets to.

Marcus wrote:Lajovic is the future of Serbian, single handed backhand, nice forehand, attacking tennis. This is a fact.

Irrefutable, correct? Salutations!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:..I'll be honest and admit I expected a base-line basher, stg like poor man's Troicki, but was really nicely surprised to see someone playing very "last century" tennis with nice forehand and a lovely, beautifully felt single backhand, needless to say, Lajovic plays attacking tennis.
.....

Poor guy! Say no more! He is doomed in this day and age!

You'd like his backhand Tenez, it's not overdone, quite elegant and even useful, uses it a lot for his approach shots, quite nice.

I am sure I would like him. There are tons of players I like on the tour. Petzchner, Chardy, Llodra, Gasquet, Davydenko, Nalbandian, Dmitrov, Golubev, Blake etc...but they are nowhere to be seen in the top 10. But thanks for bringing his name to our attention. I'll have a look asa I can.

noleisthebest wrote:

Marcus wrote:Lajovic is the future of Serbian, single handed backhand, nice forehand, attacking tennis. This is a fact.

marcus, is this really YOU , where are art thou now, Kennsington, Monte Carlo, Abu Dabi?

Well, it was nice to watch him play, I now it was "only" against Sela, and there seemed to be three people in the "crowd" (excluding the umpire and the coaches), he looks like someone who needs a bit of drilling on shots, at this stage he can go either ways, and noone will hear about him.
Sad how it goes for so many, really.
It would kill ME!

Oui, c'est moi!

I'm still in the same place.

Your man is performing quite well this year, although all the matches seem to have caught up with him, as he seems to be struggling with an acute case of post-USO Nadalitis.

Hi noleisthebest - so good to see you back

Hopefully we might see a little more of Lajovic - he sounds very watchable from your description!

Do keep us posted on how you rate his IQ, won't you. And your method for assessing sounded entirely sane to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfei7f4cVs4&feature=related

time please wrote:Hi noleisthebest - so good to see you back

Hopefully we might see a little more of Lajovic - he sounds very watchable from your description!

Do keep us posted on how you rate his IQ, won't you. And your method for assessing sounded entirely sane to me

Well it certainly worked with Nole !

Just out of Interest, NITB, can you please give us your opinion on the IQ of the world top 10, based on their facial expressions?

laverfan wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfei7f4cVs4&feature=related

Thanks for the link LF, I tried to find one but couldn't

Also, what's the IQ of this on the Nolescale:

http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/04/01/gal_sports_face_12.jpg

Yes a nice BH but his FH is too loopy and his footwork is not top notch (maybe that's linked).

But one to watch I guess.

Tenez wrote:Yes a nice BH but his FH is too loopy and his footwork is not top notch (maybe that's linked).

But one to watch I guess.

I know it's weird, but he played a "different" flatter forehand today, in this clip it really does look surprisingly loopy, almost Nadalesque , I'll definitely see the match tomorrow, esp as it's against the same player.

Marcus wrote:Also, what's the IQ of this on the Nolescale:

http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/04/01/gal_sports_face_12.jpg

Well, Wozzy ain't your typical blonde....I respect the fact she spoke against grunting. It's not her fault she doesn't have a lion's heart and a ripping forehand....

laverfan wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfei7f4cVs4&feature=related

seeing the "receiving" face, I can proclaim Lajovic lacks the "roar", but is not lamb either....nothing like stitting on the fence, he,he....

Marcus wrote:Just out of Interest, NITB, can you please give us your opinion on the IQ of the world top 10, based on their facial expressions?

Marcus, YOU asked for it:

Djokovic 10/10
Nadal 7/10
Murray6/10
Federer 9/10
Ferrer 5/10
Soderling 6/10
Berdych 3/10
Fish 3/10
Tsonga 4/10
Monfils 7/10
Honorary top 10:Delpo 8/10

Disclaimer:
I only paid proper attention to the first 4, the rest was just off memory....

Djoko get a 10?? You do surprise me.

Marcus wrote:Djoko get a 10?? You do surprise me.

I know, I was tempted to give 11/10, but wanted to be kind to the rest .....

noleisthebest wrote:

Marcus wrote:Djoko get a 10?? You do surprise me.

I know, I was tempted to give 11/10, but wanted to be kind to the rest .....

I don't know - in an earlier incarnation the Djoker might have liked a walk on part in This is Spinal Tap

barrystar wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Marcus wrote:Djoko get a 10?? You do surprise me.

I know, I was tempted to give 11/10, but wanted to be kind to the rest .....

I don't know - in an earlier incarnation the Djoker might have liked a walk on part in This is Spinal Tap

Barry, you're not justa BarrySTAR, you are simply a

http://www.richardashcroft.co.uk/assets/images/uploads/brain_images/cache/big_star-450x450.jpg

noleisthebest wrote:

Marcus wrote:Djoko get a 10?? You do surprise me.

I know, I was tempted to give 11/10, but wanted to be kind to the rest .....

well Novak is certainly a smart cookie! I must protest about poor little daveed ferrer - I'm sure he's better than a 5!

UPDATE:

Lajovic got trounced by Bogomolov just now. Ouch....

I didn't even get to see the match as I had my parents on the phone telling me about some cousin's wedding, beautiful autumn weather, stuff they did in the house, oh, brother!!!!!!!!

It's a tough world out there for a tennis player. More so for a player trying to play like in the 90s.

Tenez wrote:It's a tough world out there for a tennis player. More so for a player trying to play like in the 90s.

You've said it!

Anyone who gets beaten 2&1 by Bogomolov should retire immediately, and seek another profession.

6-2, 6-1

Marcus wrote:Anyone who gets beaten 2&1 by Bogomolov should retire immediately, and seek another profession.

Good job Murray lost to him "only" 1:6 5:7 ....

Aargh! Thanks NITB I was successfully repressing that result