Serbian tennis professional Dusan Lajovic was urgently transported to hospital after suffering a bizarre accident in the changing rooms during Davis Cup competition. The incident occurred following Lajovic's opening singles match defeat against Chile's Tomas Barrios Vera in Santiago.
Freak Injury During International Tournament
The 35-year-old world No.125 reportedly walked directly into a glass panel upon returning to the changing area after his straight sets loss. Medical personnel arranged immediate hospital transfer for the Serbian athlete, who sustained what has been described as a head injury requiring further assessment.
Medical Details and Hospital Transfer
According to reports from Clay Tennis, Lajovic remained fully conscious during transportation to Clínica Universidad de Los Andes in Santiago. Preliminary medical evaluations indicated the player suffered cranial contusion, a laceration to his oral mucosa, and potential loosening of teeth from the impact.
The changing room accident compounded what had already been a challenging day for the Serbian team at Estadio Nacional. Lajovic's teammate Ognjen Milic also fell to defeat against Alejandro Tabilo in three sets, placing Serbia in a precarious 2-0 position against their Chilean hosts.
Post-Match Comments on Crowd Behaviour
Prior to the unfortunate changing room incident, Lajovic had expressed frustration about the officiating during his match. The Serbian veteran highlighted what he perceived as inadequate crowd management by the chair umpire, particularly regarding partisan supporters in the stands.
"It was tough to play here, where we knew we wouldn't receive fair play, but that's the Davis Cup and I don't think the match was decided by that," Lajovic stated during his post-match press conference. "Most people came to enjoy the tennis, but there were a few in the stands who were disrespectful."
The tennis professional specifically referenced one spectator who repeatedly told him "you're bad, you're bad" during competition. "There's no need to talk to players," Lajovic emphasized. "Obviously, it's not something you want to hear while you're competing on court."
Acknowledging Opponent's Superior Performance
Despite his criticisms of the officiating and crowd behaviour, Lajovic gave full credit to his Chilean opponent for the victory. "The umpire should have done a better job of keeping conditions similar for both players before the serve," he conceded. "In any case, my opponent was better and played better in the key moments."
Serbia's Davis Cup History and Current Campaign
Serbia has previously triumphed in the Davis Cup competition, with Novak Djokovic playing a pivotal role in their 2010 championship victory. However, the current world No.1 has not participated in the tournament since 2024, leaving Serbia to field alternative line-ups during recent campaigns.
Last year witnessed Miomir Kecmanovic and Hamad Medjedovic competing across both singles and doubles during a first-round qualifying loss to Denmark. For this year's opening round against Chile, Serbia selected Lajovic and Milic for singles duties while twin brothers Matej and Ivan Sabanov partnered for the doubles competition.
Great Britain's Successful Opening Round
Meanwhile, in other Davis Cup qualifying action, Great Britain secured comprehensive victory against Norway in Oslo. The British team benefited from Norwegian star Casper Ruud's last-minute withdrawal on the eve of competition, with Jack Draper and Cam Norrie both claiming straight sets victories in their opening singles matches.
Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool then sealed the tie with a doubles victory, rendering the second set of singles rubbers unnecessary. The convincing performance has positioned Great Britain for a second-round qualifier against either Ecuador or Australia scheduled for September.
"I'm really delighted, very proud of what the players have done," declared Leon Smith, Great Britain's Davis Cup captain, following the triumph. "The beginning of the tie with Casper Ruud not being able to play changes the dynamics, but then our guys have to go and deliver."
The Davis Cup qualifiers continue across multiple international venues as nations compete for prestigious positions in the tournament's latter stages. Medical updates regarding Lajovic's condition and recovery timeline remain pending following his unexpected hospitalisation.
