“I’ve been dealing with a lot lately, like anxiety, OCD, and depressing feelings” – Lajovic says therapy has helped him get out of a difficult phase

The Serb says that he should have started working with a therapist a long time ago and plans to continue even after he stops playing tennis

Dusan Lajovic at the 2022 Davis Cup Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

April 26, 2023

Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, who won the Banja Luka Open last week after scoring wins over world No 1 Novak Djokovic and Monte-Carlo champion Andrey Rublev, has revealed in an interview with Clay magazine that he has been working with a psychotherapist to deal with problems of anxiety, OCD and depression which came about when tennis returned after the forced stop due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tennis tours, like much of the rest of the world, shut down in March 2022 and returned five months later but without fans. 32-year-old Lajovic, who was ranked at a career-high No 23 in the world at the time the pandemic hit, said he felt it was pointless to play without fans and he fell into a unhealthy headspace.

“Felt like we got back (to playing tennis) a little bit forced. When back on tour, I felt in conflict with myself because we started playing again without the fans, with all the protocols of traveling, the tests, we had to stay in the rooms and the tennis club,” Lajovic said. “I was feeling that we were playing tennis while people were still suffering around the world. So, why are we playing? Just to keep the business going? I got into a loop of being mentally in a bad place. I felt depressed and not being able to enjoy what I do. I enjoy tennis, but all of this things happening around were making me not feel good about doing my job.”

Lajovic added that his mental struggles lasted for almost a year and were compounded by personal issues, which he did not want to discuss publicly at this point.

“Almost a year. It took me a while to get out of this bubble. When the world came back to normal, I started to feel better. Over 2022, I found this new motivation again. But last year was the worst year of all my career, professionally. I had a different set of problems in my private life, also. I’m not ready to talk about those specific private things publicly. I can say that I should definitely have started therapy many years ago. But by that time the social environment regarding this was very different in Serbia. I just didn’t know how much would help me.”

“In tennis you need to fix all the things to perform well. I’m trying to improve myself” – Lajovic

Dusan Lajovic at the 2023 Rio Open Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Lajovic added that he has been feeling much better over the past few months and he has been working hard to improve himself, both psychically and mentally.

“Now I’m finally starting to get back on my feet again, I’m working really hard every day, physically and mentally. I’m trying to do everything I can to get back to the place I was. I’m working a lot now in psychotherapy. I started a couple of months ago because I’ve been dealing with a lot lately, like anxiety, OCD, and depressing feelings. That influenced a lot when I was on the court. In tennis you need to fix all the things to perform well. I’m trying to improve myself.”

The 32-year-old added that this is a life-long journey and that he plans to continue working with his therapist even after he quits playing tennis.

“I see this (not only) as a therapy, but also as a training as well. (It) is something I want to do until the end of my life regardless if I’m playing tennis or not. It is so important, especially after all the things the world has gone through. First, you need to accept this kind of things, and then you can get on a journey to fixing them. I’m on that journey now. From difficult situations you can either fall down more, or you can accept and go through that as part of the process, and see the tough situation pass. Find room for growth… and if you find it at the end it will make you a better person. Exactly what is happening to me.”