Mark Lajal
![]() Lajal at the 2023 US Open | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Born | Tallinn, Estonia | 12 May 2003
Height | 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Coach | Thomas Le Boulch[1] |
Prize money | $148,301 |
Singles | |
Career record | 2–4 |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 191 (20 November 2023) |
Current ranking | No. 256 (29 July 2024) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | Q1 (2024) |
French Open | Q1 (2024) |
Wimbledon | 1R (2024) |
US Open | Q1 (2023) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 0–0 |
Career titles | 0 |
Highest ranking | No. 725 (29 July 2024) |
Current ranking | No. 725 (29 July 2024) |
Team competitions | |
Davis Cup | 1–3 |
Last updated on: 31 July 2024. |
Mark Lajal (born 12 May 2003) is an Estonian tennis player. He has a career high ATP singles ranking of world No. 191, achieved on 20 November 2023. He also has a career high ATP doubles ranking of No. 725, achieved on 29 July 2024. He is currently the No. 1 Estonian player.[2]
He has won three ITF singles titles and a Challenger title.[3]
On the junior tour, he had a career high ITF combined ranking of No. 13, achieved on 30 August 2021.
Lajal represents Estonia at the Davis Cup, where he has a W/L record of 1–2.[4]
Career
2023: Maiden Challenger title, ATP debut and first win, top 200
He won his first Challenger title in Little Rock, Arkansas. He became the first Estonian to win a Challenger title before his 21st birthday and Estonia’s second ever Challenger champion.[5][6][7]
Ranked No. 229 on his ATP debut, he received a wildcard for the main draw of the 2023 European Open and defeated Jaume Munar for his first ATP win.[8] He then lost to 4th seed and eventual finalist Arthur Fils in the second round.
As a lucky loser at the Bergamo Challenger, Lajal beat Jelle Sels, Ugo Blanchet and the opponent he lost to in qualifying, Pierre-Hugues Herbert to reach the semifinals, where he lost to David Goffin in 3 sets. As a result, he made his debut in the top 200.
2024: Grand Slam debut
In July, ranked No. 262, Lajal made his Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon after a successful qualifying campaign in which he ousted 25th qualifying seed Francesco Passaro, Henrique Rocha and fourth seed James Duckworth. He became the first Estonian man to reach a Grand Slam main draw since Jürgen Zopp at the 2018 Roland Garros.[9][10] He lost in straight sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz on his debut.[1][11]
Performance timeline
Singles
Current through the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters.
Tournament | 2023 | 2024 | SR | W–L | Win% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Slam tournaments | ||||||
Australian Open | A | Q1 | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | |
French Open | A | Q1 | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 0% | |
Wimbledon | A | 1R | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% | |
US Open | Q1 | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | 50% | ||
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0 / 1 | 0–1 | 0% | |
ATP Masters 1000 | ||||||
Indian Wells Masters | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Miami Open | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Monte-Carlo Masters | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Madrid Open | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Italian Open | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Canadian Open | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Cincinnati Masters | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Shanghai Masters | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Paris Masters | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | ||
Win–loss | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – | |
Career statistics | ||||||
2023 | 2024 | Career | ||||
Tournaments | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
Titles | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Finals | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Overall win–loss | 1–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | |||
Year-end ranking | 206 | 40% |
ATP Challenger Tour finals
Singles: 1 (1 title)
|
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | Jun 2023 | Little Rock, USA | Challenger | Hard | ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
ITF World Tennis Tour finals
Singles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runner-ups)
|
Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Tier | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | May 2022 | M15 Heraklion, Greece | WTT | Hard | ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 2–0 | Aug 2022 | M15 Monastir, Tunisia | WTT | Hard | ![]() |
6–2, 3–6, 6–3 |
Loss | 2–1 | Aug 2022 | M15 Monastir, Tunisia | WTT | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 6–3, 5–7 |
Loss | 2–2 | Sep 2022 | M25 Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France | WTT | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 0–6 |
Win | 3–2 | Dec 2022 | M25 Monastir, Tunisia | WTT | Hard | ![]() |
6–4, 6–1 |
References
- ^ a b "Alcaraz, Wimbledon, Estonia: Everything you always wanted to know about Mark Lajal (but never had time to find out)". 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "ATP Rankings | PIF ATP Rankings (Singles) | ATP Tour | Tennis | ATP Tour | Tennis". ATP Tour. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
- ^ "Mark Lajal: 'I Wasn't Supposed To Be A Tennis Player' | ATP Tour | Tennis". ATP Tour. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "Pacific Oceania loses to Estonia in return to Group 2". www.saipantribune.com.
- ^ "Lajal takes Little Rock Open title | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette". www.nwaonline.com. 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ Kust, Damian (2023-06-05). "Challenger Tour Weekly Recap: Mark Lajal Becomes Estonia's Second-Ever Challenger Champion". Last Word On Tennis. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "Mark Lajal, 20, Wins Maiden Challenger Title In Just 6th Outing | ATP Tour | Tennis". ATP Tour. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "European Open: 20-year-old Lajal makes dream debut, defeating Munar in first match". Tennis Majors. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
- ^ "Pouille headlines quartet of French qualifiers at Wimbledon". ATPtour.com. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Estonia's Mark Lajal to make first career Grand Slam appearance at Wimbledon". 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Wimbledon results 2024: Carlos Alcaraz opens Wimbledon defence with win over Mark Lajal". BBC Sport. July 1, 2024.