Kalin Ivanovski eliminated in first round at ITF 25 Zlatibor
Ivanovski returned from a two-month injury break but lost 2-1 to Rio Tabata; teammate Oleg Prihodko advanced in singles and plays doubles semi-final.
North Macedonia Davis Cup player Kalin Ivanovski returned to the court after a two-month injury layoff but was stopped in the opening round of the ITF 25 tournament in Zlatibor on September 17, 2026. He fell to Japan’s Rio Tabata in three sets, losing 2-1 (61 46 10-6 on points).
Tabata took the first set comfortably, and Ivanovski — who had not played since mid-July — struggled to find rhythm early on. The second set saw a momentum shift: Ivanovski overturned an early 0-2 deficit in games to claim the set 6:4 with two breaks.
The decider was contested as a match tiebreak because the organizers had faced scheduling difficulties caused by poor weather in previous days; Tabata prevailed 10-6 in that deciding sequence.
Teammate Prihodko advances in singles and competes in doubles
Another Macedonian Davis Cup player at the same event, Oleg Prihodko, advanced without major trouble. Prihodko beat Veljko Krstic in straight sets, 2-0 (62 61), and is also entered in the doubles draw alongside Denis Klok.
Prihodko and Klok are scheduled to play the doubles semi-final against Bulgaria’s Alex Genchev and Anthony Gemov. In singles, Prihodko will meet Drazen Petrovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the second round; a win would put him into the quarter-finals.
Ivanovski is scheduled to compete next week at a tournament in Pardubice, Czech Republic, as he continues his recovery and efforts to regain match form.
Photo: press material from the event
