Dusan Lajovic upset two-time champion Andy Murray 6-4 7-5 in their first head-to-head match on the first day of the Miami Open to reach the second round at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Lajovic won 72% of his second serve points and saved two of the three break points he faced. The Serbian player converted all three break points.
Lajovic saved two break points in the fourth and sixth game before earning the first break of the match to love in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Lajovic held on his final two service games to win the first set 6-4.
Lajovic earned his first break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead, when Murray hit his forehand long. Lajovic was not able to serve out the match at 5-4, as Murray broke back to draw level to 5-5. After missing two match points from 40-0, Lajovic closed out the match, when Murray his his forehand into the net after a long rally in the 12th game. Lajovic has now a 8-5 record this season.
Lajovic had won just four of 16 hard court since the start of 2022.
“When I did not close it out, I thought it’s happening again. Honestly that last game I was super right at 40-0 and he was able to put pressure on me. Luckily he shanked the last forehand, which he normally doesn’t do”, said Lajovic.
Lajovic ended his Sunshine Double campaign with a 2-2 record in Indian Wells and Miami.
Lajovic set up a second round match against Maxime Cressy.
“I don’t like playing against guys like him. They try to provoke you and put you under pressure on your service games. I will try to stay mentally stable”, said Lajovic.
Last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals champion Brandon Nakashima edged past Oscar Otte 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 in 88 minutes.
Nakashima hit a series of winners to win the tie-break 7-3 with two mini-breaks before earning the only break of serve in the sixth game of the second set. The US player did not face a break point en route to taking the win in his first head-to-head match against Otte.
Nakashima set up a second round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who won their only previous head-to-head match in straight-set at the Adelaide International 2.
Japan’s Taro Daniel reached the second round after his French opponent Arthur Rinderknech retired when he went down 1-4 in the first set. Daniel beat Matteo Berrettini en route to the third round at Indian Wells last week. JJ Wolf beat Alexander Bublik 7-5 6-3.
The first set started with a trade of breaks. Bublik earned his second break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. Wolf broke straight back to draw level to 5-5, as Bublik was serving for the set. Wolf earned his third break in the 12th game to win the first set 7-5. Wolf won the second set 6-3 with his only break in the fourth game.
