June 21, 2020 - The final of the Adria Tour tennis tournament was canceled in Zadar on Sunday after it was confirmed that tennis player Grigor Dimitrov tested positive for the coronavirus. A statement from the Zadar headquarters. 

The Bulgarian tennis player played only one match in the tournament, but hung out with several people over the last few days. 

Index.hr reports that Dimitrov was in contact with hundreds, if not thousands, of people, including many children as part of Kids Day. The final of the tournament was supposed to be played between Djokovic and Rublev tonight at 8 pm, though it has been canceled.

The Zadar Headquarters released an extraordinary statement tonight:

"Residents of Zadar County who suspect infection, or who have been in close contact with the tennis player, should contact the epidemiologist on duty at 098 / 332-765 and their doctor. The Zadar County Public Health Institute will introduce an additional telephone line and additional emergency services from tomorrow. We would like to remind you once again that epidemiological measures are in force, which include maintaining social distance, which is the most important in preventing the spread of the coronavirus, and that we must be responsible," said the Zadar County Headquarters.

Dimitrov spent ten days in Zadar, playing in two tennis tournaments. But as part of other activities, he played football and basketball. First, with his fellow tennis players, Djokovic, Cilic, Coric, and Zverev, and later with the spectators, which was part of the Adria Tour event program.

The Adria Tour was also visited by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who pointed out on Saturday that the humanitarian tournament was "a great promotion of Zadar and Croatia in the world". Plenkovic said goodbye to some tennis players in Zadar, including Cilic and Djokovic, who were in direct contact with the infected Dimitrov over the last few days.

More soon.

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June 21, 2020 - The final of the Adria Tour in Zadar, in which Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev were supposed to play at 8 pm tonight, has been canceled! Unfortunately, Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov, who played one match in the Zadar tournament, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Index.hr reports that in the last ten days, Dimitrov played in two tournaments with spectators and played football and basketball with Djokovic, Cilic, and Coric. He also spent night outs with other tennis players on the Adria Tour.

At the start of the tournament in Zadar, Croatian tennis player Borna Coric easily defeated Dimitrov, who did not shake hands with the opponent and the referee at the end of the match because he was already feeling ill.

"Hi Everyone-I want to reach out and let my fans and friends know that I tested positive back in Monaco for Covid-19. I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during these past days gets tested and takes the necessary precautions. I am so sorry for any harm I might have caused. I am back home now and recovering. Thanks for your support and please stay safe and healthy. GD," the tennis player wrote on his Instagram page. 

Dimitrov is the 19th ranked tennis player in the world, though he was once the third-best in the world. The 29-year-old Bulgarian was nicknamed 'Baby Federer' at an early stage of his career as he had a similar style of play, but he never lived up to those expectations even though he has had a successful career so far. At the tournament in Zadar, he was replaced by Croatian tennis player Nino Serdarusic, a 23-year-old who is the 299th best player in the world.

It is not yet known how the Bulgarian tennis player's illness will affect the tennis season, which should continue with tournaments in America in two months. The organizers of the tournament in Zadar will soon address the public.

"We received information that Grigor was tested in Monaco and that he was positive for the coronavirus. We tried to respect all the measures prescribed by the Serbian and Croatian governments, we gave everything we needed, unfortunately, Grigor is positive. At the moment, we are organizing all health services so that as many people as possible who were in contact with Grigor ar tested. I got in touch with all the volunteers and participants of the tournament and so far no one has any symptoms," said Djorđe Djoković from the organization of the tournament at an extraordinary press conference and added:

"Dimitrov was in Bulgaria before this, we still don't know if he got it there or here. Everyone who was in close contact will be tested. We are waiting for the authorities to give us instructions and we will continue to act accordingly," concluded Novak Djoković's brother.

"This was the only right decision, we had to cancel the final for the health of the players, their families, but also everyone else present. Of course, we will do the tests, I did it three days ago and I was negative myself. I don't know if I will have to be tested again, I will go if necessary," said the tournament director Goran Ivanisevic and added:

"All of this is one big shock, but we made the right decision. Health comes first. As for Grigor, he showed no symptoms. He didn't even have a temperature. Still, he felt bad on Saturday and decided to get tested in Monte Carlo. We don't know where he was infected. In any case, we wish him a speedy recovery."

All tennis players who participated in the tournament, as well as the people who participated in the organization will be tested for COVID-19.

Adria Tour director Đorđe Đoković did not confirm whether the tournament in Banja Luka and the exhibition in Sarajevo would be canceled, but said that he would act in accordance with the recommendations of the competent authorities.

More soon...

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June 19, 2020 - Russian tennis player Andrej Rubljov, the fourteenth best player in the world, landed in Zadar on Friday morning, where he will join the tennis stars on the Adria Tour, which will be played until Sunday at the Višnjik Sports Center in Zadar.

HRT reports:

"The Adria Tour, which is being held in Zadar currently, is a big event for Croatia that we are extremely proud of. We are grateful to Goran Ivanisevic, who is the coach of Novak Djokovic and the director of the tournament in Zadar, as well as to Goran Djokovic, who is our great friend. The cooperation between him and us as the Croatian Tennis Federation, vice presidents Neven Nakic and Franc Regina together with other federations through the ITF, created good relations and offered us the Adria Tour in Zadar," said the president of the Croatian Tennis Federation Nikolina Babic who welcomed the Russian tennis star at the Zadar Airport.

"We gladly accepted this great challenge, and everything is ready for today's start of the tournament. The players have arrived and are in the final preparations. Everyone really likes Zadar; some are in Croatia for the first time and are delighted with the coast, accommodation, courts and the city," she added.

The spectacle begins today at 5 pm with a grand opening and an exhibition match that will be played by Novak Djokovic and Olga Danilovic against Borna Coric and Ana Konjuh, followed by Goran Ivanisevic and other stars.

At 6:30 pm, the group draw is scheduled, and at 7:15 pm, for the music part of the program, Gibonni will perform in the area of the northern parking lot of the Višnjik Sports Center. Famous pianist Lola Astanova will perform as a special surprise guest before Gibonni.

Yesterday, the world tennis elite competed at the Kresimir Cosic Hall in Visnjik with members of KK Zadar.

Novak Djokovic, Borna Coric, Marin Cilic, Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov faced Zadar basketball players Dominic Gilbert, Juri Planinic, Karel Uljarevic, Jan Palokaj and Duja Brala.

The tennis players showed solid basketball skills, and Djokovic, Cilic and Zverev stood out, who, according to those present, could replace tennis courts with basketball courts without any major problems and a little training.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

June 17, 2020 - The No. 1 tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, arrived in Zadar on Tuesday ahead of the Adria Tour humanitarian tournament. 

"I have been all over Croatia, but I have never been to Zadar, and I am looking forward to meeting Zadar and the people here and all the participants of the Adria Tour. I am very excited and happy to have the opportunity to visit Zadar as part of the Adria Tour, and then a few more locations in the region," Djokovic said upon his arrival, revealing that he did not know that Zadar was Luka Modric's hometown.

It didn't take long for Djokovic to dip into the local mindset, as he was filmed at training at a Zadar beach. 

"Mother Nature's Gym," he shared on Facebook with a short video. The post even prompted a reaction from American football legend Tom Brady - "The best!"

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the final preparations are underway for the Adria Tour. The main court, which boasts room for nine thousand spectators, will be filled to half capacity to meet COVID-19 measures.

Tournament participants include world no. 1 Novak Djokovic, German star Alexander Zverev, and Gregori Dimitrov from Bulgaria, as well as Croatian Davis Cup national team members Marin Cilic and Borna Coric.

It has been known for a long time that Dominic Thiem, Austria's best tennis player, will not come to Visnjik, so there are three vacancies left. One spot should be filled by Felix Auger Aliasiemm, and the seventh participant will be obtained after the final of the HEP tournament. 

Yesterday, Novak trained with Borna Coric at the tennis courts of TK Zadar 08 in the bay Drosanjica, which was followed by a line of eager fans waiting for an autograph. It was also on these courts that Borna took his first tennis steps, as his grandmother lives nearby.

After training, the great Nole signed the club's bulletin board and thus left his historical mark on a humble Zadar tennis court.

Although he did not appear on the central ground of the Visnjik Sports Center, Zverev did his training at the Falkensteiner & Spa Hotel Iadera in Petrcane. Just after noon on Tuesday, Zverev stayed with the Djokovic family on the luxury yacht Asha, and sailed together to the Kornati National Park on Wednesday morning.

Goran Ivanisevic, tournament director for Adria Tour Croatia, aired his thoughts on the Adria Tour in Serbia, emphasizing that it was a tennis mega-spectacle and that he is convinced that things will be even better in Zadar.

"It is a real shame to miss the matches that await us in Zadar," said Ivanisevic, obviously satisfied with the fact that apart from Djokovic, a tennis player who conquered the world not only with his game but also with his sportsmanship and humanitarian efforts, the audience will admire the moves of other tennis stars. 

Only one question remains: "Are there any tickets left?"

The world is buzzing about the Adria Tour, as is evidenced by the fact that the scenes from Zadar will be broadcast to 110 countries on all continents.

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Jun 16, 2020 - At the end of this week, Zadar will be the sports center of the world, assures Novak Djokovic ahead of the Adria Tour tennis spectacle at SC Visnjik.

Jutarnji List reports that after Belgrade, Djokovic's Adria Tour will be held in Zadar from June 19 to 21, as part of which tennis stars such as Dominik Thiem, Aleksandar Zverev, and Grigor Dimitrov will come to Croatia. They will be joined by Croatian aces Marin Cilic and Borna Coric and many other tennis players and friends united by a humanitarian goal.

Since the coronavirus epidemic has calmed in the Balkans, today's best tennis player is spending his time on tennis courts, but also in meetings, because as the organizer of a tennis tournament, which is held in several countries, his hands are full.

"When the epidemic started, I was in daily contact with the players as well as with friends from the tennis federation. As time went on, the idea of organizing tournaments throughout the region began to crystallize, to allow tennis to live on after all. We followed the situation and realized that it was possible. And so it all began. With a lot of work, a lot of organization, and details, we set off.

At the end of the week, we started with the tournament in Belgrade and this week, we are in Zadar, later in Banja Luka and Sarajevo. As I am telling you this, I’m waiting to go out on the court and I’m so excited and happy that I can’t even describe it to you. It is unreal for me that at this time of year, in my city, in the whole region, I have the opportunity to play tennis with tennis players from the very top of the world, with my friends. This is a unique experience," said Djokovic in an exclusive interview for Jutarnji List just a few days before the spectacle in Zadar, in the newly opened regional center of the Croatian Tennis Federation.

"The tennis players who will be performing are all my friends, guys I get along great with, on and off the court. They were the only ones who could come, because it is not easy to get to Serbia or Zadar at this moment. In addition, both Dominik, Alexander and Georgi accepted the fact that this is a charity tournament, and this probably further prompted them to participate. Borna, Marin, Damir Džumhur - I agreed with them the fastest, because we have already been in our homes and cities, and of course, we understand this opportunity differently so that the whole world looks at our region across those days. That is a significant thing," Djokovic explains. Namely, as many as 110 countries will broadcast the Adria Tour tournament.

Nole, as his relatives and fans in his native Serbia call him, is of Montenegrin origin on his father Srdjana's side, and his mother, Dijana, is a Croat from Vinkovci. However, the tennis star had never been to Zadar, although he often spends his summers on the Adriatic.

"I really like the Adriatic, and I love the Croatian coast, generally the smell of the sea, pine forests. It has remained in my memory since I was little. We haven’t made a plan yet where we’re going this summer, as we don’t know anything. First of all, I am looking forward to coming and being in Zadar for the first time. I am grateful to all the tennis players who responded, to the Croatian Tennis Federation, to everyone in the organization, to the musicians who responded to the media, and I can't wait to go out on the court. This tournament will send a wonderful, strong and positive message to the whole world because Zadar will be the sports center of the world over those days," Djokovic emphasizes.

Namely, the first evening will be opened with a musical performance by Zlatan Stipisic Gibonni, on Saturday Petar Graso announced a dance spectacle, and on Sunday, a surprise guest awaits the visitors of the tournament.

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June 4, 2020 - Organized by Novak Djokovic, the Adria Tour will be held in Zadar from June 20-21, 2020.

HRT HRT reports that for the first time in his prosperous career, Croatian tennis legend Goran Ivanisevic found himself in the role of a tournament director. Namely, Ivanisevic will help direct the Adria Tour, which will be held on June 20 and 21 in Zadar. The tournament is organized by the world's best tennis player Novak Djokovic, in cooperation with the Croatian Tennis Federation, and will bring together some of the biggest names in international tennis.

"The tournament will be played on clay, we were ready for concrete, but Novak's team still decided on clay. We are waiting for the final confirmation of the number of fans that will be allowed. It will be a stadium for nine thousand people that will be installed this week, and I hope that it will allow us half of that capacity for the audience to see these best players in the world," Ivanisevic pointed out and added:

"This is a world opportunity to show Zadar and Croatia in a beautiful light, as a corona-free country and we invite tourists. Zadar proved to be not only a basketball city but also a tennis city with the two Davis Cup matches that it organized incredibly. I do not doubt that this organization will go well and that all our guests and tennis players who come from abroad will be extremely satisfied."

Ivanisevic will also participate in the tournament as Djokovic's coach, a position he has held since last year.

Adria Tour was created on the initiative of the Serbian tennis star in order to promote sports, positive values and fair play, but also to raise funds for those who need it. The Adria Tour will be held in several countries, with Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov playing alongside Djokovic, and the two best Croatian tennis players, Marin Cilic and Borna Coric, will also play in Zadar.

"Novak already had the idea to organize a 'tour' or a couple of exhibition matches in Belgrade, Sarajevo, and Croatia. It’s hard to organize, especially with the usual schedule of tennis players. This corona, no matter how much evil and misfortune it brought, made the 'Adria Tour' possible. Novak asked me how Croatia could get involved, I checked with the Croatian Tennis Federation and with their help we chose Zadar. Novak's wish has come true and with this team coming, I can say that this will be a tennis spectacle in the Balkans," said Ivanisevic about Djokovic's initiative.

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May 23, 2020 - At the initiative of Novak Djokovic, and in cooperation with the Croatian Tennis Federation, tennis stars will flock to Zadar in June to kick off summer in Croatia.

Gol.hrGol.hr reports that the most beautiful postcard will be sent to the world from Zadar next month, officially kicking off the summer tourist season in Croatia! Namely, some of the best tennis players in the world will play in a series of tournaments from June 13 to July 5, called the Adria Tour, and one of the host cities will be Zadar, it was confirmed on Friday.

The organizer of the tournament is the best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, who gathered some of the leading players of today, including Croatian tennis players. The first tournament will be played on the courts of TC Novak in Belgrade on June 13 and 14, followed by Zadar's Višnjik (June 20 and 21), before the tournament moves to Montenegro (June 27 and 28), and Banja Port (July 3 and 4).

Among others, participation in at least one of the competitions, apart from the organizer Novak Djokovic, was confirmed by leading Croatian tennis players, led by Borna Coric and Marin Cilic, and Austrian Dominic Thiem and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, to name a few.

It is a humanitarian competition, from which, among other things, the proceeds will be directed to programs for the development and education of children, and in sports terms, will be a great opportunity for matches at the highest level at a time when there is a break in official competitions due to the coronavirus.

They will be played in groups so that each tennis player will have two matches on Saturday, and one on Sunday, when the finals between the two best will be scheduled. It is planned to be played on two won sets on four games.

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