Monte Carlo quarter finals

Day Six and quarter finals in Monaco.

Rolex Monte Carlo Masters - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 14-21 April 2019.

Defending champion:

Rafa Nadal (1) who defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-2

- Dusan Lajovic v qualifier Lorenzo Sonego 

A surprise quarter final match up, Serbian player Lajovic had, after 12 years on tour, achieved a career high ranking of 42, but by reaching the quarter finals here (a memorable win over Thiem), he would better the mark. Sonego, from Italy, achieved his first ranking in 2014, and cracked the top 100 in September last year. A month later he reached his career high of 86, but his heroics in Monte Carlo so far this year have guaranteed him a jump to 66, higher if he were  to advance further.

The pair had never met before today.

Sonego served first and was taken to deuce, before holding serve. The wind was a disturbing factor for both players, but didn’t worry Lajovic as he delivered a love game, complete with strong forehands and variation on serve. A drop shot and  brilliant backhand volley highlighted the second service game from the Italian, and then Lajovic drew a couple of errors with power serving to level at 2-2.

Sonego sealed the fifth game with wonderful defence on the final point, and he won the first point on the Lajovic serve with a backhand pass. Lajovic, at 30-30, pulled a forehand out of court, and the first break point of the match was gained by Sonego. It disappeared quickly and Lajovic held on.

The seventh game saw Sonego fall to 15-40 and face two break points. One was saved after a return was hit too long. A Serb forehand winner achieved the break and a 4-3 lead for Lajovic. The break was consolidated with the second love game from Lajovic, two winners included. 

Sonego easily held serve, forcing Lajovic to serve the set out. A mishit on the opening point, and a Sonego backhand forcing an error, had Lajovic at 15-30. Two big serves steadied the ship and brought up set point. An Italian return sailed out and Lajovic led 6-4.

Set two began with Lajovic breaking immediately, and then moving ahead 2-0, following a solid service hold, his forehand working particularly well. Sonego was on the board after an impressive game, forehand and volley winners incorporated. The qualifier, now with confidence, placed pressure on the Serb serve, and although Lajovic hit a memorable forehand pass to reach 30-15, and had game point at 40-30, Sonego dragged him back to achieve break point. Still, Lajovic had the poise to avoid any danger and a forehand winner saved him. He held serve to lead 3-1.

He may have been fortunate to survive in game four but Lajovic bowed to the Italian in his next visit to the line. From 30-15, Lajovic lost all remaining points and it became 3-3.

At 5-5, after missing out on a set point in the previous game, Sonego struck trouble. He won the first point with a well crafted drop shot, but thereafter was passed down the line by a Lajovic forehand, could do nothing about an overhead from the other side of the net, and hit a forehand into the net, producing two break points for Lajovic. An exquisite drop shot confirmed a service break for Lajovic and he would serve for the match.

A pair of Lajovic forehand winners, and a Sonego forehand error gave the Serb two match points. The first was saved when Lajovic’s backhand failed. However he put away a forehand on the next point to end the contest.

Dusan Lajovic was victorious 6-4 7-5.

- Daniil Medvedev (10) defeated Novak Djokovic (1) 6-3 4-6 6-2

- Fabio Fognini (13) defeated Borna Coric (9) 1-6 6-3 6-2

- Rafa Nadal (2) defeated Guido Pella 7-6(1) 6-3

Semi final match ups 

Daniil Medvedev (10) v Dusan Lajovic 

Fabio Fognini (13) v Rafa Nadal (2)