The Davis Cup Qualifiers first-round tie has turned dramatic in Chile, where the hosts seized early control. Alejandro Tabilo rallied from a set down to beat Ognjen Milic under the Estadio Nacional lights, before Tomas Barrios Vera outlasted Serbia’s seasoned campaigner Dusan Lajovic to tighten Chile’s grip. However, Serbia’s troubles deepened when Lajovic suffered an accident while heading to the locker room.

Dusan Lajovic suffered a frightening accident after his Davis Cup match in Chile. While walking to the locker room, he crashed into a glass panel. 

The impact caused a cranial contusion, a cut to the oral mucosa, and possible loosening of teeth.

Medical staff immediately attended to the Serbian. He did not lose consciousness, but his condition raised concerns. An ambulance took him to Clínica Universidad de Los Andes in Santiago for further evaluation.

The incident came after a difficult outing on court. Lajovic had opened the Davis Cup Qualifiers first-round tie for Serbia against Chile. He eventually lost a tight contest 7–5, 7–6(7).

The match itself was played in a tense atmosphere. Lajovic complained about the noise from the crowd between his first and second serves. The situation escalated when a spectator repeatedly insulted him.

“It was tough to play here, where we knew we wouldn’t receive fair play, but that’s the Davis Cup, and I don’t think the match was decided by that,” Lajovic said in the press conference. “One guy was telling me, ‘You’re bad, you’re bad’. There’s no need to talk to players. Obviously, it’s not something you want to hear while you’re competing on court.”

After the exchange with the fan, Lajovic also had a heated discussion with the chair umpire. He later criticized the official for not managing the crowd better during important moments.

“The umpire should have done a better job of keeping conditions similar for both players before the serve. In any case, my opponent was better and played better in the key moments,” he said.

Chile’s Tomas Barrios Vera, ranked world No. 112, acknowledged the role of the home support but defended the spectators’ overall behavior.

“The Chilean crowd gets very involved in matches when it’s Davis Cup; that’s something he may have felt. But I don’t think that, overall, the people were disrespectful,” Barrios added.

Lajovic had arrived as Serbia’s top singles player. Novak Djokovic and captain Viktor Troicki could not secure the participation of Miomir Kecmanovic or Hamad Medjedovic, while Laslo Djere was also absent.

With Lajovic now injured, Serbia faces a difficult task. The team must win the doubles and both remaining singles matches to stay alive. The incident also adds to a growing list of concerning off-court injuries in tennis.

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard retired after suffering a serious eye injury

Before Lajovic’s accident, tennis had already witnessed a frightening incident in 2026. At the Open Occitanie in Montpellier, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard faced Arthur Gea. The Frenchman was trailing 5–3 in the first set when the match took a shocking turn.

Gea was serving at 30–0 and firmly in control of the rally. Perricard rushed forward and stretched for a difficult backhand volley under pressure. The moment quickly turned dangerous. Gea struck a sharp passing shot down the line. In a freak sequence, the ball clipped the frame of Perricard’s racket. It then ricocheted straight into his eye.

The impact caused immediate and visible pain. Perricard collapsed to his knees and clutched his face. The point ended, but concern instantly replaced competition.

Medical attention followed as the seriousness became clear. The injury was rare, accidental, and alarming. The match could not continue under such circumstances.

Years earlier, a similar scare had shaken the WTA Tour. At the 2010 US Open, Victoria Azarenka collapsed during her second-round match against Gisela Dulko. She fell to the ground while trailing 1–5, 15–30 on the Grandstand court.

After on-court medical treatment, Azarenka left in a wheelchair. She was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. The incident raised concerns about player health and safety.

Another unusual accident occurred in 2009 involving Sam Querrey. After practicing for a tournament in Thailand, the American sat on a couch and later went to shower. Not wanting to return to the same sweaty spot, he sat on a nearby glass table.

The table shattered beneath him and caused a serious arm injury. Querrey narrowly avoided a career-threatening situation. 

Now, after Lajovic’s concussion in Chile, fans hope for his quick recovery as the Davis Cup Qualifiers continue.