05. 05. 2009. ·
Serbia has been waiting long for the day and welcomed it! Belgrade has finally become a part of the world tennis map!
The opening ceremony of the first ATP tournament in our country – Serbia Open – has been held with large fireworks on Tuesday about 8.30pm at the grand new built tennis complex ‘Milan Gale Muskatirovic’ in Dorcol.
‘It’s a great pleasure that I’m standing at the central court, one of the best in the world. I am very proud of all that is happening here, the whole world is watching us now. We have worked hard for 100 days, 24 hours a day, and were united around one goal,’ said the tournament director Goran Djokovic, after Oliver Njego had sung the national anthem of Serbia.
The greatest applause from the audience got Zimonjic and Nestor, who were given the award by the chairman of the ATP Adam Helfant as the best doubles team in 2008.
‘15 years ago, when I played here, there was nothing. Many thanks to all who helped, it is a great pleasure to have the ATP tournament in our country. I hope that we will have one of our representatives in the finals,’ said Zimonjic.
Canadian Nestor, who was born in Belgrade in 1972, said that his return to the capital of Serbia awakes beautiful memories.
‘Most of the credit for the great organisation goes to Djokovic family. I want to thank Nenad that we’ve been playing together, we had a lot of success last year. I believe that we will repeat the success in 2009. I hope that til the end of the week I will be able to speak to you in Serbian,’ said Nestor.
During the seven days, Serbia Open will host 28 tennis players from all over the world in singles competition. From May 4 to May 10 they will fight for 250 ATP points, and 75,500 euros. The total prize fund of the tournament that is played on clay is 450,000 euros, and it is in the category of the ATP World Tour 250.
Four representatives of Serbia played on the first day of the competition in the main draw. Viktor Troicki and Janko Tipsarevic, who had the honor to play right after the opening ceremony, won their matches, while the two youngsters Filip Krajinovic and Arsenije Zlatanovic lost in the first round. Krajinovic was defeated in three sets, while Viktor Troicki, no.2 racquet of Serbia, was made to work hard against American Sam Querrey. Zlatanovic lost in straight sets, and Tipsarevic closed the day with a two-sets win over Sergio Roitman to set up an all-Serbian match against Novak Djokovic.
Along with the Serbian tennis players, most attention was at the match of Croat Ivan Ljubicic (defeated Victor Crivoi 2-1), who said:
’I was sure that this would be a high quality tournament, and I said that to people from the ATP. Belgrade deserved to have a tournament, tennis in Serbia has seen blossom in the last few years,’ said Ljubicic.
Ljubicic said that he was glad that in the match against the Romanian he had the support of Belgrade crowd.
’It’s nice to play in front of the audience that knows tennis. I hope I will show everything I know in the following matches,’ said Ljubicic, who was no.3 in the ATP rankings in 2006.
You can follow all the events at the tournament through the official website at www.serbiaopen.rs, and starting from tomorrow we’re reporting on the performance of the best Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.
No.3 in the world will have the debut in the tournament on Wednesday. His opponent in the second round match will be his compatriot and friend Janko Tipsarevic, world no.63 who defeated Argentine Sergio Roitman in straight sets.
‘I think it is good for the tournament and for the fans that the two of the three best Serbian tennis players will meet This will surely attract many people, because it is a spectacle and something we all want. Janko prefers this surface, he’s made a great progress ans made some of the best results on clay in the last year and a half, which makes him a difficult opponent’- said Djokovic.
