Djere’s unplanned Hong Kong tennis trip banishing memories of ‘disastrous’ end to 2025

After marrying long-term partner Tamara in the off-season, and winning two Bank of China Hong Kong Tennis Open qualifiers, Laslo Djere has begun to banish memories of the “disastrous” end to his 2025 campaign.\nIn a desperate attempt to cling to his top-100 ranking and main-draw entry for this month’s Australian Open, Djere, who has spoken movingly about losing both his parents by the age of 23, hurried back after sustaining a stress fracture of his left shinbone last July.\nThe Serbian acknowledged he came back “poorly prepared”, but said he did so because of the need for ranking points to qualify for the first grand slam of the year.\n“I played seven more tournaments, but I have never felt worse physically on the court in my life,” Djere said. “I somehow managed to get those few points, but I was really happy the season ended.”\nBetween his return at September’s Shanghai Masters and season-finale in a Lyon Challenger Tour event two months later, Djere won only two of nine matches.\n\n“It was really rough for me … just disastrous,” he said. “I can still feel some sensations [in the shin] but I am calm, I’ve had a couple of MRIs and the bone is healthy. The tissues around it need to adapt.”\nThe 30-year-old has previously suffered with a serious elbow injury, but said his recent issue was more damaging because he could not “run or use my legs much”, which meant losing “muscle and stamina”.\nRanked world No 95, Djere was excellent in beating No 88-ranked Emilio Nava of the USA 7-5, 7-6 in an absorbing battle on court No 2 at Victoria Park Tennis Centre on Monday.\nHe saved three set points in the 12th game of the second set, before racing away with the tiebreak. That victory came 24 hours after a 6-4, 7-6 victory over Sweden’s Elias Ymer.\n“It means a lot to me, it’s ‘just’ the qualifiers, but I am feeling physically well and prepared,” Djere said. “To win two matches and two tiebreaks feels good.”\nMental and physical respite from tennis for Djere arrived with his wedding in Belgrade in November, after he proposed earlier in the year.\n“I am happy about that,” he said. “Not much has changed, because she was beside me for the past seven years, but it was the right moment to make one more step forward in our relationship.”\nDjere lost his mother, Hajnalka, when he was 16, and father, Caba, at 23, both to cancer.\n“The tournament’s started so I don’t want to go deep into it,” a visibly emotional Djere said. “It’s tough, obviously, but I managed to go forward.”\nTamara is with her husband in Hong Kong, albeit the player originally planned to launch his new season at the Brisbane International in Australia until he discovered he would be an alternate in the qualifying draw. He was beaten in his opening match on his two previous visits to Hong Kong.\n“I’ve not had much success here, even though it’s one of my favourite cities and I really enjoy my time in Hong Kong,” Djere said.\n“I wanted to make a change and play Brisbane … but I needed to make sure I would get at least one match in the first week of the season. That’s why I came, and I’m glad I did.”\nIn his first-round match on Tuesday, Djere will face America’s world No 64 Marcos Giron, who last played two months ago.\n“[Going through qualifiers] is a sword with two edges,” Djere said. “You’ve adapted to conditions, but can be tired. I finished both matches in two sets, so hopefully I can come back fresh.”\n