At one championship – two titles

Of the four years in which Jovica triumphed in the senior championships, in one he and his brother Mickey were the winners and in the doubles game. He was a participant in 11 finals for the national champion, four times the winner. The unforgettable Uncle Ute was a real icon of TC South

Jovica Lazovski (2)

Among those tennis players who were dominant on the Macedonian scene for twenty years and more in the last century, of course, one of the most noticeable figures was Jovica Lazovski. He had as many as 11 participation in the Macedonian senior champion finals, in which he came out four times as the winner. But when it comes to the past and the titles it must be said that Macedonia in the second half of the last century, when the white sport in our republic was moving forward, there was a strong generation. In that competition, in which Steriev, Apostolov, Janchulev, Mihailov, Panov, Nocev, Nikolovski and Shevchenko were undisputed, it was really difficult to get to the triumph.
– It was hellishly difficult. The competition was great and a strenuous and bumpy route had to go to reach the national title. The competition was strong and it is not surprising that in the 11 final performances I suffered seven defeats. This balance did not disappoint me, because at the time I was in the best form I became the champion of Macedonia four times, so those titles seemed to suppress and threw into oblivion. It was important for me that in tennis history it would be written that I was a four -time national senior champion. Therefore, there was no place for disappointment, but on the contrary I was proud, because few managed to win with such senior titles – he told me in the show dedicated to Macedonian sports legends – recorded in 2010, now the late Jovica Lazovski

Win against all of the first « five »

I will continue the story of Jovica with his performances, when he was walking from the tournament with the racket and making attempts to oppose the strongest Yugoslav players, first in youth and then in senior competition.
– I had a great benefit from training in the early years with the famous Yugoslav ace Palada. It was for me the most important period, when I practically firmly starting to trample on the red. But the Palada was not the only one from whom I got precious knowledge, on the contrary, here was our tennis legend, I would say an icon of TC South, Milutin Gjurovski-Mate. He was a cute and amazing man. He was so much in love with tennis, so he was given the impression that he was not interested in the ball over the ball over the net. There were little enthusiasts, who remain faithful to their sport and are credited with the successes of the tennis player, who later trained well on the sports scene. I will not make a mistake if I say that Uncle Ute was one and – unique. But the Andreevski brothers should not be forgotten, who also with all their enthusiasm advocated to create conditions for the smooth work of TC South, and they also appeared as organizers of several events including the Galea Cup in Skopje, when he was in the Yugoslav national team in the Yugoslav squad.
After participating in the first tournaments in Borovo and Osijek, Jovica, who turned his attention to himself, was expecting the following tournaments with even greater and encouraged.
– Then came the performances in Belgrade, Zagreb and Varazdin, three quality tournaments I reached the semifinals. It was an indication of my qualities. After I passed the first one, so to say, a filter, very confident I continued to walk the racket through the former state. Already everyone recognized me, and to be honest the opponents and did not want the draw in the first rounds to fall with me. Everyone wanted to avoid me. I felt the fear of them and often joked with them and said to them: I don’t care, I’m not that dangerous. They would silence not believing in what I was talking about. But I was like that with all the friendly, and on the field very awkward and unpleasant rival. At the tournaments in Yugoslavia in the second half of the 60s I defeated almost all the tennis players belonging to the first Yugoslav « Five »-recalled these games Lazovski.
Jovica also remembered some details of the numerous tournaments. He did not forget to mention the performance in Nis.
– There, when I thought I was going to win the first place, because I was really in great shape, I suffered a defeat by Armenulic, who was later a Yugoslav coach. We played a good match, but Armenulic, who was more experienced than me, managed to beat me with a tactical game. But the placement in the final in Nis, and the results of other tournaments, allowed me to be among the top ten youngsters in Yugoslavia for the second time. As for senior placements, one time among the 10th and twice among the 16 best Yugoslav tennis players-he said.

Two titles in the same year

Since we had quality tennis players, Macedonia’s championships were very interesting. The stands could not be collected by all tennis lovers, so many people who arrived later, found a place and good view through the net on the side of the embankment.
– I remember my first appearance at a Macedonian championship in the seniors competition. The opponent of the start was no one else, but for us the younger unbeatable Saso Panov. I was disappointed with the draw, but also ready to fight the male. In that I succeeded, I was really fighting, I resisted my idol from the childhood years, but the victory had no chance of coming. Saso was like a fury, overwhelmed me and eliminated. But I remember his words after the match « Child, it will be a tennis player from you, just that continues. » This was a great encouragement for me, because Saso, who was very open, would not have told me this, if he didn’t really think it – said Lazovski.
From these moments at Jovica seemed to have a desire for one day to become the champion of Macedonia.
– This desire brought me forward and just forward. I was determined to sacrifice everything only at the end of one of the next championships of the Republic to reach the title. Finally, I succeeded in 1968 – with Jovica’s joy he told me this and described the most exciting moments.
And when everyone thought he would continue to be among the winners of Macedonia’s next championships, Tosho Nikolovski appears on stage as Phoenix.
– Imagine none of us could stand in the way of Toshko, who even eight times in a row at the Macedonian championships. It was something incredible, but there was the strength to this guy, who later became a seafood-representative of Yugoslavia, and was the winner of several tournaments. His dominance lasted until 1976. Then, in the next three championships I won the first place. Finally in 1984 when I was 37 I lost in my 11th finals and stopped actively in tennis. I was pleased with the four titles and went peacefully in the sporting pension, as with my younger brother Mickey once we won the Macedonian championship in doubles in a year when I was a winner and in individual competition. Thus, in the same year, in the same place, two championship titles were found in the showcase of the Lazovski family – Jovica said.
And when it comes to brother Mickey here is an interesting episode for him.
– Journalist Ljupco Gajdov appeared in the company of a tall boy on a training session in the south. Gajdov came to the field and asked me if he could play a little with his friend. I also accepted the next moment when the friend stepped on the field I was « stunned » when I saw that the boy was no one else, but the legendary chess world champion Bobby Fisher. Then Bobby came to Skopje to participate in the first chess « meeting of solidarity » – he says.

The owner of the oldest racket

Jovica Lazovski will be remembered by tennis players and his friends as a very temperamental and cheerful man who spoke about his tennis life. He was always reminded of the beautiful days, when he spent the racket in his hand, cruising from city to city to participate in the tournaments. When I talked to him, a show dedicated to the legendary athletes broadcast on our TV revealed the secret and the oldest tennis racket in Macedonia. He held him with other rackets in his hands as well, wanting to show the spectators this tennis rarity. It was a very high quality « Dunlop », which has been on the ceiling of the house of a Bitola family since 1905.
– This is that racket, look at how quality and preserved. This is a real wealth. I am very grateful to a woman who came into contact with me and told me that they have more preserved old things on the ceiling, including tennis racket. He invited me to come to Bitola and told me, if you like the racket, he will be yours. I didn’t have the time to wait and out of curiosity immediately in Bitola. I went to the ceiling and already in my great pleasure, the racket made in 1905 was found not only in my hands but also my property – Jovica told me.
With this I end my presentation of the legendary tennis as Jovica Lazovski, who, unfortunately, died in 2016. He went to eternity, but left behind a rich tennis opus. Jovica was really a great athlete and a man above all.