Dusan Lajovic loses to Luca Van Assche after leading 4-0 in Umag

Dusan Lajovic lost in the first round of the ATP tournament in Umag after holding a large lead. Luca Van Assche won 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Lajovic won the first set and led 4-0 in the second. The match lasted two hours and 50 minutes.

The defeat is painful because Lajovic was close to winning in two sets. One poor service game can change a match on clay. In Umag, Van Assche won seven of the next eight games and forced a deciding set. Lajovic and his coaches must study where that comeback began.

Lajovic controlled the first set

Lajovic began well on clay. His groundstrokes landed deep and pushed Van Assche behind the baseline. He waited for a shorter ball before attacking. Lajovic also created chances on Van Assche's serve and won his own service games. He took the first set 6-2.

Lajovic also began the second set well. At 4-0, he had won ten of the first twelve games and was close to victory. His position on court and his patience were still effective. The important question is why those strengths then disappeared. Lajovic won ten of the first 12 games and then lost seven of the next eight. Van Assche recovered from 0-4 and won the set 7-5. The match had therefore changed before the third set began.

One successful service game could have changed the match

At 4-0, Lajovic already had a large advantage. He needed to win one more game on his own serve. Van Assche broke his serve, but Lajovic still led the set. Each later game gave the French player more confidence and made the comeback more likely.

A player often needs simple choices near the end of a match. Lajovic needed a reliable first serve and deep groundstrokes through the centre. He also needed patience before changing direction. An early attempt at a difficult winner could create an error and help Van Assche recover.

Van Assche earned the change with persistence

The French player did more than wait for a collapse. He stayed in longer exchanges, found greater depth and made Lajovic play another ball when the Serbian expected the point to finish. Young opponents often become dangerous once the score removes the fear of losing. From 0-4, Van Assche could attack the comeback one game at a time.

Van Assche won the second set 7-5 after recovering both breaks of serve. He then broke Lajovic again in the final game instead of allowing a tiebreak. The French player began the deciding set with more confidence. Lajovic had to recover after being only two games from victory.

The deciding set still contained a fight

Lajovic remained competitive in the third set and lost it 6-4. The full match lasted two hours and 50 minutes. Van Assche now had more confidence and understood which long rallies troubled Lajovic.

In the third set, Lajovic needed one solid service game or one strong return game. The score remained close, but the first two sets had used much energy. On clay, tired legs reduce shot height and accuracy. One shorter ball can let the opponent take control.

Lajovic needed the same plan until the final point

Clay suits Lajovic because he uses spin, patient rallies and careful shot selection. The first ten games in Umag showed those strengths. He now needs to keep the same reliable choices when he moves from building a lead to protecting it.

Players sometimes move farther behind the baseline when they are close to victory. They hope to avoid errors, but the extra space can invite the opponent forward. Another mistake is to attack too early. Lajovic needed to keep the court position that had created his lead and make only small adjustments.

Lajovic must review his service games

Van Assche won five games in a row after trailing 0-4. Lajovic and his coaches should examine every service game in that sequence. They can check first-serve location, the next shot and repeated patterns under pressure. These details explain more than a general statement about confidence.

Lajovic also had chances when Van Assche served. Breaking back quickly could have stopped the French player's recovery. Instead, Van Assche continued to hold serve and reduced the gap. That placed more pressure on every later Lajovic service game.

Lajovic must recover mentally and physically

A defeat after a large lead can remain in a player's mind. A similar score in the next match may bring back the memory of Umag. Lajovic should identify the exact decisions that changed the match. A simple routine between points can help him focus on the next serve.

Physical recovery also matters after nearly three hours. The clay season asks for repeated lateral movement and long points, even in a first round. Rest, treatment and a measured return to practice can protect the next tournament. Extra work made only from frustration risks carrying tired movement into the following week.

The defeat should remain one result

Lajovic played well enough to lead 6-2, 4-0 against a strong opponent. Those ten games remain an important part of the performance. The defeat shows that only a few decisions under pressure can separate good tennis from victory.

The next useful sign will be how he handles the first difficult shift in another match. Lajovic needs a simple response when his serve becomes unstable. The same applies when an opponent wins several points in a row. Umag cannot be changed, but the exact way it turned can make the next lead safer.