ATP Serbia Open 2009

Winner takes it all

The Đoković Family (their company Family Sport) has organized the Serbia Open in the best way they could, together with Belgrade city authorities and the Serbian government assistance. Players, guests and ATP representatives were very satisfied with hospitality and high level of organization. Ball kids, linesmen, media, hostesses and volunteers seems to be happy as a part of ATP tour. More than 100,000 visitors have seen tennis matches but also a promo-village in the sports center "Milan Gale Muškatirović"


By MARKO ANDREJIĆ
from Belgrade, SERBIA


The first ATP tournament in Serbia - Serbia Open 2009 - was held in Belgrade from May 2 -10. On the courts of sports center "Milan Gale Muškatirović", tennis professionals have played for 250 ATP points (tournament is of Series 250) and total fund of 450,000 Euros. The winner received a check on 75,000 euros and it will be written down that the first trophy has come into the hands of player who brought ATP tour to Serbia - Novak Đoković.

Although this was not the tournament from the highest ranked (ATP 1000 - ex-Masters and ATP 500) Serbia Open has brought top tennis players and famous names. Novak Đoković was seeded No.1 as World No.3 on ATP ranking list at the moment. Czech Radek Stepanek has withdrawed from Belgrade tournament in the last moment, as well as Romanian Victor Hanescu and Belgian Steve Darcis (injured). Anyway, there were domestic players Janko Tipsarević and Viktor Troicki, Croatian stars Ivo Karlović and Ivan Ljubičić, Italians Andreas Seppi and Flavio Cipolla, who started as qualifier and reached the quarter-final. Argentinian Guillermo Canas was one of the celebrities but he lost in qualifies against Brazilian Marcos Daniel (later reached quarter-final, too). Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty was also there, as well as Spaniard Marcel Granollers, and Marcos Baghdatis, one of the favorites of Serbian fans, who has received a wild card to enter the tournament but did not use it the best way. Organizers have used their chance to offer wild cards to some younger Serbian players - Filip Krajinović and Arsenije Zlatanović had a debut in ATP tournaments.

The draw was not very lucky for domestic players as they had to play against each other in first rounds. Novak Đoković was seeded, so he did not play the first round but in second his opponent was Janko Tipsarević and in quarter final the other friend from national team - Viktor Troicki. Novak was constantly under pressure as he already played three ATP finals in last three weeks, and this time he was in double role - the first favorite and the organizer. Ok, the official organizer is Đoković Family, tournament director is Novak's uncle Goran but we all know this tournament has moved from Dutch city of Amersfort to Belgrade, mostly thanks to Novak's name, his good plays and ranking in the world tennis. He just had to win this first Serbia Open, otherwise all those commercials - Aqua Novak bottles, Novak on the Chair Umpire, Novak on the players seats, Novak umbrella, Novak on the floor, Novak in the Sky... would lose its meaning.

Of course, he said what he had on the court and deserved to become the first winner but it wasn't easy. Matches against Tipsarevic and Troicki were hard to play but even harder to think about it. Semifinal against Seppi was the most important match and Djokovic presented his superiority and winer's mentality after win in three sets. The biggest surprise of Serbia Open was young Polish Lukasz Kubot who is not among World Top 100. He started in qualifies, lost against Dominik Hrbaty but entered the main draw as a lucky loser (after withdraw of Steve Darcis). Then he succeeded wins all through the final, to become the first Polish player after 26 years playing ATP final. He was totally relaxed in the final match, presented his best and almost won a second set against Djokovic but it was his maximum. Novak won the tie-break by 7-0 and the final result was 6-2, 7-6.

But Kubot has won one trophy at the end - playing doubles, with his partner Marach (Austria). They are playing together for a long time and deserved to win the title in Belgrade although the first favorites were World Double No.2 - Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic. They lost in the first round against Novak Djokovic's younger brother - Marko and Darko Madjarovski. It was very disappointing and unexpected for all the fans of Nestor and Zimonjic, but some rumours also say it was very significant how they played against one of Djokovics.

The Đoković Family (their company Family Sport) has organized the Serbia Open in the best way they could, together with city authorities and the Serbian government assistance. Players, guests and ATP representatives were very satisfied with hospitality and high level of organization (read more in interview with Goran Djokovic). Ball kids, linesmen, media, hostesses and volunteers seems to be happy as a part of ATP tour. More than 100,000 visitors have seen tennis matches but also a promo-village in the sports center "Milan Gale Muskatirovic". They could find some souvenirs, sports equipment and sponsors stand, had some fun and enjoy their time. Weather was very good, except the first day when heavy rain in the afternoon caused the delay of matches and moving Opening Ceremony for the next day.

Opening and closing ceremony were in the highest standards - funny, attractive and not too long. This is specially worth for the final day when orchestra has played national anthem of Serbia and a giant flag was there, over the whole tennis court.

Of course, it is just first time to organize this event and some small misunderstandings will be solved with experience for sure. There is only one shadow on the whole story - rumours were all around saying about "Novak Open" instead of Serbia Open - Djokovic here and there, Djokovic playing, Djokovic organizing, Djokovic sponsoring... It is really hard to believe this is not a one-man- or at least family-tournament, as the organizers claim, if you don't see any representative of Serbian Tennis Association during ten days of ATP tournament in their country.


(Published: 10.05.2009.)