Vienna 2021: Frances Tiafoe vs Dusan Lajovic preview, head-to-head & prediction | Erste Bank Open
Match details
Fixture: (Q) Frances Tiafoe vs Dusan Lajovic
Date: 26 October 2021
Tournament: Erste Bank Open 2021
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: Vienna, Austria
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Indoor hardcourt
Prize money: €1,837,190
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel & ESPN | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Frances Tiafoe vs Dusan Lajovic preview
After successfully navigating past the qualifying rounds, Frances Tiafoe will lock horns with Dusan Lajovic in the first round of the 2021 Erste Bank Open in Vienna on Tuesday.
Tiafoe defeated Alex Molcan in the first qualifying round, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. The 23-year-old then fought past Lucas Miedler in the second round, this time coming from a set down to win 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3.
That said, Tiafoe's win over Molcan is arguably more impressive than the one over Miedler, given that the former is ranked just outside the top 100 while the latter is at No. 315. Molcan has also posted better results this year, having finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the Belgrade 2 event.
Tiafoe has played some decent tennis in the weeks following the US Open, where he made the fourth round. The American made it to the third round of the Indian Wells Masters, beating Benoit Paire and Sebastian Korda along the way.
He then played the longest three-set match of the year against Andy Murray at Antwerp, losing 6-7(2), 7-6(7), 6-7(8). Tiafoe held a couple of match points in the deciding set but failed to capitalize, eventually succumbing in 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Dusan Lajovic, meanwhile, comes into the Erste Bank Open having lost five of his last seven matches on tour. His only wins during this period have come against Benoit Paire (US Open) and Richard Gasquet (Antwerp).
The Serb fell in the first round of the Indian Wells Masters, losing to Tommy Paul in straight sets. He then lost to Arthur Rinderknech in the second round of the European Open.
Lajovic took part in the Erste Bank Open last year too, but fell in the first hurdle; the 31-year-old lost to eventual runner-up Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets.
Frances Tiafoe vs Dusan Lajovic head-to-head
Frances Tiafoe leads Dusan Lajovic by a margin of 2-1 in the head-to-head.
Lajovic won their first meeting on tour, at Indian Wells in 2017. But Tiafoe returned the favor at Antwerp in 2020 (indoor hard), before defeating him at Miami earlier this year too.
Frances Tiafoe vs Dusan Lajovic prediction
Frances Tiafoe enters this match as the favorite, given that his game is well-suited to indoor conditions. The American has a lot of power on his groundstrokes, which would put Dusan Lajovic's one-handed backhand to the test on Tuesday.
That said, Tiafoe would have to be more clinical with his chances than he has been in recent times. The American's wastefulness cost him against Andy Murray, and he wouldn't want a repeat of that.
Lajovic, on the other hand, is severely short on form and confidence right now. His best hope of scoring a win would be to return aggressively and elongate the neutral rallies, in hopes of drawing out errors from the American.
All things considered, however, Tiafoe should have the upper hand if he is on his game.
Prediction: Frances Tiafoe to win in straight sets.