Dušan Lajović Bio
Dušan Lajović is a Serbian professional tennis player who has spent more than fifteen years competing on the ATP Tour. Born on 30 June 1990, he reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 23 on 29 April 2019 and peaked at No. 82 in doubles in September 2020. Known for his clay-court craft, steady baseline game and elegant one-handed backhand, he has captured two ATP singles titles and two ATP doubles titles across his career.
A long-time member of the Serbian national team, Lajović represented his country in the Davis Cup from 2012 onward and helped Serbia win the inaugural ATP Cup in 2020. He also made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games, continuing a journey that began on the junior and Futures circuits in his home country.
Early Life and Background
Dušan Lajović was born on 30 June 1990 in Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia, to parents Marina and Dragiša Lajović. He grew up in a country with a rich tennis tradition, and the sport quickly became a central part of his childhood. He first picked up a racket at the age of seven, training at his local club T.K. Stara Pazova before moving on to T.K. Partizan Belgrade.
Through these formative years, Lajović developed the foundations of his game, building the footwork, patience and tactical awareness that would later define his professional career. His early coaches at both clubs helped him transition from a promising junior into a player ready for the international stage.
Path to Professional Tennis
Lajović turned professional in 2007 and spent several seasons honing his craft on the ITF Futures and ATP Challenger circuits. After years of grinding through qualifying rounds and lower-tier events, he made his ATP main-draw debut in 2011 at the Kremlin Cup, where he lost in the opening round. Later that same season, he reached his first ATP quarterfinal at the St. Petersburg Open.
In 2012, he began working with coach Boris Bošnjaković, played his first Davis Cup tie for Serbia and captured Challenger titles in Orbetello and Samarkand. These results signaled that Lajović was ready to compete consistently at the ATP level and set the stage for his Grand Slam debut two years later.
Dušan Lajović Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
The 2013 season thrust Lajović into the spotlight when he was called upon to replace an injured Janko Tipsarević in the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic. Although he lost both of his rubbers, including the deciding match against Radek Štěpánek, teammate Novak Djokovic publicly praised him for his composure on the big stage.
In 2014, he made his Grand Slam main-draw debut at the Australian Open and reached the fourth round of the French Open, where he fell to world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. The following year, partnering with Radu Albot, he won his first ATP doubles title at the Istanbul Open, and Serbia reached the Davis Cup quarterfinals for the second time.
Breakthrough Years (2016–2018)
Lajović’s 2016 season brought a string of tour-level semifinals at the Argentina Open, Brasil Open, Generali Open in Kitzbühel and Los Cabos Open, demonstrating that he belonged among the ATP’s competitive middle tier. His first tour-level semifinal came in Brazil after he upset top seed Benoît Paire.
The 2017 season saw him reach the fourth round of Indian Wells and help Serbia advance to the Davis Cup semifinals with a win over Lucas Pouille. In 2018, he broke into the top 50 for the first time after defeating then-world No. 6 Juan Martín del Potro at the Madrid Masters and later securing a top-10 win over Grigor Dimitrov at the China Open.
Top-25 Era and Maiden Title (2019)
The 2019 season was the breakthrough Lajović had long chased. He scored his 100th career win in January and reached his maiden ATP Tour final at the Monte-Carlo Masters without dropping a set, defeating David Goffin, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev before losing to Fabio Fognini. His run lifted him to a career-high No. 24.
Later that summer, he captured his first ATP singles title at the Croatia Open in Umag, beating Attila Balázs in the final. On 29 April 2019, he officially climbed to world No. 23, cementing his place among the game’s elite players.
ATP Cup Champion (2020)
At the inaugural ATP Cup in 2020, Lajović played a central role in Serbia making history as the first nation to claim the Davis Cup, World Team Cup and ATP Cup. He won four of his six matches across the tournament, delivering key wins during the group stage and knockout rounds.
He also impressed individually at the Australian Open, defeating 2018 semifinalist Kyle Edmund in straight sets before falling to Diego Schwartzman in the third round.
Sliding and Rebuilding (2021–2022)
In 2021, Lajović reached the fourth round of the Australian Open for the second time in his career, losing to Alexander Zverev, and produced a memorable upset over world No. 3 Daniil Medvedev at the Rotterdam Open. However, Serbia was unable to defend its ATP Cup title that year.
The 2022 campaign was tougher, as Lajović dropped out of the top 100 for the first time in a decade, finishing the season ranked No. 102. He closed the year by winning the Maia Challenger, his seventh title at that level.
Comeback and Second Title (2023)
Lajović opened 2023 with back-to-back quarterfinals at the Argentina Open, Rio Open and Chile Open during the South American Golden Swing. In April, he won his second ATP singles title at the Bosnia Open in Banja Luka, defeating top seed Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals and Andrey Rublev in the final.
His Madrid Open campaign included his 100th career clay-court win, making him only the second Serbian in the Open Era after Djokovic to reach that milestone. He later contributed a straight-sets win over Hong Seong-chan at the Davis Cup Finals in Valencia, helping Serbia open its title defense with a point.
Olympic Year and Recent Form (2024–2025)
Lajović began 2024 with another strong Golden Swing, reaching back-to-back quarterfinals at the Argentina Open and Rio Open. In April, he reached his second career semifinal above the ATP 250 level at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, defeating Ugo Humbert, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Arthur Fils along the way.
He qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, making his Olympic debut on clay. Across the 2024–2025 stretch, however, he has spent stretches outside the top 100 while continuing to log competitive results at ATP and Challenger events.
Driving Style and Strengths
On court, Lajović is at his best on clay, where his heavy kick serve and patient baseline game allow him to dictate rallies. His flowing one-handed backhand is his signature weapon, capable of producing sharp angles and surprising pace, while his willingness to construct points rally by rally makes him a difficult opponent on slower surfaces.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lajović’s career is studded with signature moments, including his 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters run to the final, his maiden ATP title in Umag the same year, his upset of Novak Djokovic en route to the 2023 Banja Luka title, and his role in Serbia’s 2020 ATP Cup triumph. His 100th clay-court win at the 2023 Madrid Open placed him in rare company among Serbian players in the Open Era.
Dušan Lajović Career Wins
Across his career, Dušan Lajović has captured two ATP Tour singles titles and two ATP Tour doubles titles, along with numerous Challenger and Futures crowns. His victories span clay-court ATP 250 events, indoor hard-court tournaments, and significant team-competition matches for Serbia.
ATP Tour Highlights
His first ATP singles title came at the 2019 Croatia Open in Umag, where he defeated Attila Balázs in the final. Four years later, he added his second at the 2023 Bosnia Open in Banja Luka, capping the week with a win over Andrey Rublev after upsetting Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. In doubles, he lifted his first trophy at the 2015 Istanbul Open alongside Radu Albot.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his ATP titles, Lajović has won multiple Challenger titles, including events in Samarkand, Orbetello, Guadeloupe, Emilia-Romagna, Salzburg and Maia, among others. He has also notched impressive top-10 wins over Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Daniil Medvedev, Juan Martín del Potro, Grigor Dimitrov and Kei Nishikori, highlighting his ability to peak against the game’s biggest names.
Dušan Lajović Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Dušan Lajović was raised in Belgrade by his parents, Marina and Dragiša Lajović. He began his tennis journey at the age of seven at T.K. Stara Pazova, a club near his family’s home that helped shape his early development.
He is in a long-term relationship with Serbian medical doctor Lidija Mikic. Lajović lives in Stara Pazova, Serbia, where he has previously owned a coffee shop and remains closely connected to his local community.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Dušan Lajović has been working to climb back inside the top 100 after several challenging campaigns. He continues to focus on clay-court events where his game is best suited, balancing ATP Tour appearances with selective Challenger events to rebuild his ranking.
Early results in 2025 have shown glimpses of his trademark baseline game, with encouraging wins against solid opponents as he seeks consistency. His experience on the ATP Tour and proven ability to topple top players remain valuable assets as he targets a return to the top 50.
With his Olympic debut now behind him and his ATP Cup legacy secure, Lajović enters 2025 motivated to add to his tally of ATP titles and to once again feature regularly in the latter stages of major tournaments.