Adria Tour: Novak Djokovic and other stars play basketball match in Zadar
Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour of exhibition tournaments has been in the news for a variety of reasons.
The tour, hosted by the Serb himself, completed its first stage in Djokovic's hometown of Belgrade, Serbia to mixed reactions. While some thoroughly enjoyed the much-anticipated return of professional tennis, others were shocked at the tournament's lack of social distancing norms amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
World No. 3 Dominic Thiem picked up the trophy in Belgrade last Sunday during what he described as a 'perfect week', before going back to Austria to finish up the Austrian Pro Series.
Irrespective of the public reaction, Novak Djokovic is determined to go full steam ahead with the rest of the tour. The event is now set to start its next stage in Zadar, Croatia, where the players marked the occasion by playing a fun game of basketball.
For the Zadar leg, the World No. 1 has been joined by Alexander Zverev and Grigor Dimitrov, who were present in Belgrade, as well as hometown heroes Marin Cilic, Borna Cori and Donna Vekic.
Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and others show off their basketball skills in Zadar
Ahead of the tour's start on Friday, Novak Djokovic and the other top players taking part in the tour played a friendly game of basketball against one of Croatia's top basketball teams - KK Zadar.
Among those present at the game were Novak Djokovic himself, alongside Zverev, Coric and Dimitrov, as well as Zadar tournament director Goran Ivanisevic.
This tournament will send a strong message to the whole world: Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic himself arrived in Zadar on Tuesday, where he was welcomed by Croatian Tennis Federation president Nikolina Babic. After arriving in Zadar, the Serb said:
"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 will take part, and I canβt 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 three days."
The Adria Tour will be contested in Zadar from 19 to 21 June, and will have its final leg in Banja Luka (Boznia and Herzegovina) from 3 to 4 July.
Rumours are afloat as to which country in the Balkan region will play host to the Adria Tour in its third week, after Montenegro pulled out of the tour citing safety restrictions. A statement about the same is expected soon.