Dusan Lajovic upsets Denis Istomin in final qualifying round – Kremlin Cup 2011
Qualifying eighth seed, Dusan Lajovic of Serbia survived a mid match lapse in the final qualifying round of the 2011 Kremlin Cup against top seeded Uzbek Denis Istomin. Playing at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia on Monday,
17th October, the Serb took two hours and five minutes to secure a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win over the higher ranked Uzbek.
Though the pair has never met on tour, this was their second career meeting since the two played each other only two months ago in the quarterfinal match of the Karshi Challenger. Istomin had then destroyed Lajovic to move into
the final four. However, this time round the Serb was successful in turning over the tables, levelling his head to head score with the Uzbek.
Istomin won the toss and opened serve in the first set. Although the Uzbek made it on to the scoreboard, it was the last time he’d find himself on there for a few games. Broken in the third game, Istomin trailed 1-3 in the set.
Lajovic managed to extend his lead to 5-2 in the seventh game as he capitalised off an errant Uzbek to clinch the second breakpoint opportunity of the set. Serving for the set, Lajovic was able to secure an easy 6-2 win to lead the set score 1-0.
The Uzbek was down but not out. Matching blow for blow with the Serb, Istomin forced the scoreboard to tick on even terms. Neither player let up for the first six games. It was quite unnatural to see the lower ranked player dictating
the terms of the game. However, a lucky break came the Uzbek’s way in the eighth game as he went 5-3 in the lead before serving out the set to level the set score.
With a set win a piece, the match entered the third deciding set. Make-it or break-it for the pair, the two went fought tooth and nail for a break in the third set. Although Istomin started the set with a break and a 2-0 lead,
Lajovic soon broke back to two games each. Another exchange of breakpoint later, the score was again tied at four games each. Standing at 6-5, Lajovic was able to break his opponent in the twelfth game after three deuces to clinch a 7-5 win and ensure a berth
in the main draw of the event.
Despite hitting no aces to istomin’s seven and one double fault to the Uzbek’s none, Lajovic managed to clinch a total of 89 of 171 points to move into the main draw where he will next play fifth seeded American, Alex Bogomolov
Jr.
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