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World no. 1 Novak Djokovic failed to win the title at his event in Banja Luka. Novak fell to Dusan Lajovic in the quarter-final, with the lower-ranked Serb scoring a 6-4, 7-6 win in two hours and 29 minutes. Djokovic said he gave his everything, although it did not work for him.
The world's leading player missed his chances and sprayed too many errors to end his campaign in the last eight. Lajovic could only do a little against Djokovic in their previous two encounters. However, he used his chances in Banja Luka, fending off three set points in the second set's tie break to emerge at the top and earn a career-best win.
Lajovic won nine points more than Djokovic and fended off an incredible 15 out of 16 break points, the critical element of his triumph! Novak lost serve two times from seven chances offered to his rival and failed to introduce a decider.
Dusan broke in the encounter's third game after Novak's double fault, defended break points in the next one and landed a volley winner for 3-1. Lajovic struggled behind the initial shot again in game six. However, he erased four break points and landed a perfect forehand winner to remain in front and open a 4-2 gap.
Novak Djokovic lost to Dusan Lajovic in the Banja Luka quarter-final.
Novak finally broke in the eighth game after Dusan's loose forehand before losing serve for the second time in the next one thanks to a massive forehand error that pushed him 5-4 behind.
Lajovic worked hard in the tenth game. He saved three break points to claim the opener 6-4 in an hour after Djokovic's forehand error. World no. 1 missed ten out of 11 break points in the opener and plagued his chances for a better result.
Set number two had no breaks after both players saved five break points. Lajovic cracked a backhand winner in the ninth game and created three break chances that would have sent him closer to the finish line. Djokovic stayed calm, denied them and held with a service winner for 5-4.
Novak held after deuces in game 11, and Dusan introduced a tie break with a fine service game. World no. 1 led 4-1 and forged a 6-3 advantage with a volley winner at the net for three set points. Lajovic climbed back to 6-6 after Djokovic's loose forehand and created a match point thanks to Novak's terrible smash.
Dusan won the fifth consecutive point with a forehand down the line winner to seal the deal and celebrate a career-best victory. "I was fighting until the last point. The fact that I did not play well at some moments when it was necessary to play better does not have anything to do with confidence.
That's a series of circumstances and my condition, which is far worse than I expected. I had my chances but did not use them. I was rather passive and made many mistakes that resulted in a defeat," Novak Djokovic said.