ATP French Open – Alexander Shevchenko vs Dušan Lajović

ATP French Open – Alexander Shevchenko vs Dušan Lajović

🧠 Form & Context

Alexander Shevchenko
📉 Slipping away: A steady decline in results over the past year has pushed him close to falling out of the top 100.
🎰 Lucky lifeline: Lost in the final round of qualifying but entered the main draw as a lucky loser.
🏛️ Paris bright spots: Two of his three career Grand Slam wins have come at Roland-Garros (2023, 2024).
❗ Streaky baseline game: Possesses powerful weapons, but lacks the consistency for extended best-of-five battles.

Dušan Lajović
🧱 Clay pedigree fading: Just two tour-level clay wins in 2025, with rhythm and confidence both missing.
📉 Falling fast: Now outside the top 100 and with little sign of a resurgence.
🏛️ French Open flashback: Made the fourth round on debut in 2014, but has only managed two RG wins since 2020.
🧠 Veteran instincts: Despite recent form, still capable of grinding out five-setters on clay through guile and experience.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Both players arrive with fragile form and few wins between them. Shevchenko brings youthful energy and bigger weapons, but his game often unravels under scoreboard pressure. Lajović, though less explosive, is more composed and methodical in constructing clay-court points.

The Russian needs to land his serve and dictate with his forehand early in sets to maintain control. If Lajović manages to slow the pace, extend rallies, and test Shevchenko’s consistency, the match could swing in his favor—especially over five sets.

🔮 Prediction

This match may lack big names, but it promises gritty, drawn-out clay-court tennis. Shevchenko could start fast, but Lajović’s experience, strategic mindset, and endurance may prove decisive in the end.

Prediction: Dušan Lajović in five sets — prevailing with patience and veteran savvy 🧠🧱