STARNBERG, November 29, 2017

Filip Krajinovic is the most successful player of the 2017 ATP Challenger Tour season. The 25-year-old from Serbia captured five titles, lifting the trophies in Heilbronn, Marburg, Biella, Rome and Almaty – one more than his compatriot Janko Tipsarevic.

Krajinovic, who started the season ranked World No. 234, had to battle through the qualifying for his first triumph of the year at the Neckarcup in Heilbronn in May.

“I know that I can play well but I didn’t expect to win here. I was just looking day by day but I think that I deserved it and I am really happy,” Krajinovic told Tennis TourTalk after winning his fifth ATP Challenger career title.

The former top junior, who began playing tennis at the age of five, had to undergo shoulder and wrist surgeries that have sidelined him from the courts for longer periods. “The toughest moment was my shoulder surgery, I had no ranking points and had to begin from scratch,” Krajinovic said. From 2011 to 2014 he climbed back up the ranking to retun into the Top 100. “Then I had to repair my wrist.”

Taken To New Heights In Paris

He managed to come back again and at the end of this season, the Sombor native shocked the tennis world by reaching the final of the ATP Masters 1000 Paris Rolex Masters, again as a qualifier. Although Krajinovic eventually fell to Jack Sock from the United States, this tournament could have been the turning point in his career.

He finished the year sitting at a career high World No. 34 and is now set to leave the ATP Challenger Tour, hoping to become a regular participant at ATP World Tour level. To stay healthy, however, will be key.