Novak Djokovic held a press conference with Austrian Dominic Thiem (world number 3), German Alexander Zverev (7), and Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (19), which ended with the four players linking arms for a photo.

Sources from the organization of the Adria Tour, as the tournament is called, told Efe that the four players have been tested and all have tested negative for coronavirus.

In recent days, the Serbian player has posted videos on social media showing him hugging and shaking hands with his professional colleagues at Belgrade airport.

NO RESTRICTIONS...

Serbia lifted entry restrictions to the country in May and does not require negative COVID tests or quarantine for those arriving from abroad.

It also allows meetings in open spaces and the presence of spectators in stadiums, without capacity limits, as long as a one-meter safety distance is maintained between them.

So far, Serbia has detected 2,175 cases of coronavirus infection and 252 deaths.

...AND NO DISTANCE

Although the organization indicates that only 40% of the 4,800 stadium tickets have been sold for the tournament, Efe was able to verify that the one-meter distancing rule was generally not respected.

The use of masks is also not mandatory.

"I feel a lot of happiness, a lot of joy, for being able to welcome them to Belgrade," Djokovic said in statements to the numerous journalists who filled the room where the press conference was held.

The tennis player indicated that pandemic protection measures are different in different parts of the world and expressed confidence that tennis competitions can resume soon.

REGAINING THE RHYTHM

Thiem, Zverev, and Dimitrov consider Djokovic's idea of ​​organizing a tournament with players ranked among the top 30 in the world to be "very good," and they look forward to competing against each other in the coming days.

In addition to raising funds for various NGOs, the tournament aims to help players regain their form after three months of competitive break due to the pandemic.

The 'Adria Tour' started this Friday with an exhibition match that pitted Olga Danilovic and Nenad Zimonjic against Djokovic and Serbian Jelena Jankovic, the former number one, for whom this match marked her return to the court after three years and her first victory.

Djokovic and Jankovic hugged each other passionately on the court to celebrate a point.

CROATIA, MONTENEGRO, AND BOSNIA

Over the weekend, Djokovic, Austrian Thiem, German Zverev, Bulgarian Dimitrov, and Serbians Dusan Lajovic (23), Filip Krajinovic (32), and Viktor Troicki (184), as well as the winner of a previous tournament organized by the Serbian Tennis Federation, will cross rackets.

The tournament, played on clay, follows the "Round Robin" system, with everyone playing against everyone in two groups of four players each, and the final will be played between the top two.

Matches will be played in two sets of only four games each.

The tournament will continue in the Croatian city of Zadar (on the 20th and 21st), and it is expected to then proceed in Montenegro (on the 27th and 28th) and Banja Luka (Bosnia) on the 3rd and 4th of July, until concluding on July 5th in Sarajevo.