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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Carlos Alcaraz vs (Q) Dusan Lajovic
Date: February 17, 2023
Tournament: Argentina Open
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, Buenos Aires
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Prize money: $711,600
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports
Carlos Alcaraz vs Dusan Lajovic preview
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz will take on qualifier Dusan Lajovic in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Argentina Open on Friday.
Alcaraz received a first-round bye as the top seed here and faced Laslo Djere in the second round. The Spaniard was off to a fast start, building a 3-1 lead in the opening set. Following a hold of serve by his opponent, the teenager bagged the next three games to clinch the set.
Both players had quite a few break point chances in the second set. While Alcaraz failed to convert any of them, Djere managed to make the most of his chances towards the end. The Serb broke the top seed's serve in the 10th game to claim the set.
Alcaraz regrouped rather quickly as he started the third set with a break of serve. He solidified his lead with a service hold and broke Djere's serve once again towards the end. The teenager served out the match with ease to win 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.
Lajovic, meanwhile, defeated Renzo Olivo and Felipe Meligeni Alves in the qualifiers to seal his place in the main draw. He then scored a three-set win over Sebastian Baez in the first round, who had just won the Cordoba Open last week.
The Serb then came up against Camilo Ugo Carabelli in the second round. Lajovic broke his opponent's serve in the very first game of the match. He held onto the lead and then broke Ugo Carabelli's serve once again to nab the opener. The second set was rather one-sided, with the Serb dishing out a breadstick to win the match 6-3, 6-1.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Dusan Lajovic head-to-head
Alcaraz leads Lajovic 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Australian Open in straight sets.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Dusan Lajovic odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Carlos Alcaraz vs Dusan Lajovic prediction
Alcaraz looked pretty good, albeit a little rusty, in his first ATP match since last year's Paris Masters. He hit his groundstrokes quite well and his serving stats were decent too. The Spaniard went 4/12 on break points, an aspect of his game he needs to work on.
For Lajovic, this tournament marks the first time he has won consecutive matches this year. He took out a tough opponent in the form of Baez in the first round and dispatched Ugo Carabelli with ease in the second round.
Given that Alcaraz is still trying to find his footing following an injury layoff, Lajovic could prove to be a challenge. The Serb's best results have come on clay and his kick serve has been quite effective on the surface.
However, Alcaraz can switch things up over the course of a match and his problem-solving skills on the court are remarkable. Lajovic's record against top-10 players isn't something to boast about. The World No. 2 could be pushed to his limits in this match, but is capable of coming out on top in the end.
Pick: Carlos Alcaraz to win in three sets.
