Cordoba Open: Lajovic vs Varillas Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Cordoba Open as Dusan Lajovic takes on Juan Pablo Varillas in the first round on Monday, February 6, 2023.

Former World No. 23 Dusan Lajovic will be chasing his first win of 2023 when he takes on Peruvian No. 1 Juan Pablo Varillas at the Cordoba Open. Who will prevail?

For Dusan Lajovic, a return to the Challenger circuit in 2022 was critical. It restored his confidence and also helped him secure a first title of any kind since 2019. Lajovic’s career appeared on a downward spiral. But strong results on clay in the second half of the campaign ensured he would remain inside the top 100. But he hasn’t translated his success on the Challengers to the first month of the new season. He has lost both matches in 2023 that he’s played in and now faces a dangerous Juan Pablo Varillas at the Cordoba Open.

Juan Pablo Varillas, meanwhile, came close to knocking off Alexander Zverev in the first round of the Australian Open. The Peruvian was playing the year’s first Grand Slam for the first time in his career after entering the main draw as a lucky loser. But he could not hold onto his lead and fell in five. Varillas has since traveled back to South America where he played and reached the Round of 16 at the Concepion Challenger towards the end of January.

Dusan Lajovic and Juan Pablo Varillas have not played each other on the ATP Tour. Monday’s match at the Cordoba Open will be their first official meeting. Varillas is such a clever clay court player whose mobility is a key strength although he sometimes tends to complicate matters from the back of the court. Historically, Lajovic hasn’t been productive during the Golden Swing although he remains a perennial danger on clay. Still, I think this could be a very difficult afternoon for the Serbian who is still without a match win in 2023.