Novak Djokovic applauds compatriot Dusan Lajovic after Serb conquers Andrey Rublev to lift Srpska Open title

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic applauded compatriot Dusan Lajovic after the latter beat Andrey Rublev to win the Srpska Open title in Banja Luka on Sunday.

Lajovic, 32, started the tournament as an unseeded player and beat four top-10 seeded players, including Djokovic, en route to his title-winning run. He beat the 22-time Grand Slam winner in the quarterfinals.

Lajovic then went past eighth seed Miomir Kecmanovic 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, in the semifinals to set up a summit clash with Andrey Rublev. Up against the second seed, the 32-year-old won the match 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in just over two hours and 30 minutes.

In a video that surfaced online after the game, Djokovic was seen applauding with a smile on his face as his friend Lajovic won his second ATP singles title. This is his first ATP singles title win since 2019.

"When you impress @DjokerNole, you know you've done something special, @Dutzee," the caption read.

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Novak Djokovic to miss the Madrid Open 2023

Mutua Madrid Open - Day 10

Novak Djokovic will not be participating in the 2023 Madrid Open after he withdrew his name from the Spanish tournament. The Serbian has had a tough start to the clay court swing of the current season. The veteran lost to Lorenzo Musetti in the Round of 16 of the Monte-Carlo Masters. It was a frustrating match for him as the tennis icon broke his racquet after a futile argument with the chair umpire.

After losing to compatriot Lajovic at the Srpska Open, the 22-time Grand Slam winner reflected on his loss at the press conference. The Serb admitted that he played well below his standards.

“The loss is due to a combination of many things. He played very well, very solid, and I was a couple of levels below what was expected. I can’t win against opponents who are so solid on this surface with this game. I didn’t even feel good physically on the court, I felt slow, with sluggish legs, I missed a lot of balls, and was totally out of shot. At times I played well, but well below my level."

Djokovic also spoke about the upcoming Grand Slam, the 2023 Roland Garros. Reminiscing upon the 2022 season, the 35-year-old stated that he hopes to play better by the end of 2023 as he did last year.

"It's no secret that you prepare and train for Roland Garros. The same thing happened last year, I had a very slow start to the tour and I started to play better towards the end of the tour," he added.

The Serb lost in the quarter-finals against Rafael Nadal at the 2022 Roland Garros.