Serbian Open...not even popular with its own players?

...seems kind of bizarre for a small staunchly patriotic country that has its own new tennis tournament that none of their top players are there?
Ok Djokovic is usually a shoe-in given its practically his own event (but pulled out due to family reasons this year)...but no Tipsarevic or Troicki?

I'm amazed by that because its not even as though they are playing in Munich or Estoril this week either.

What do you think? The event has been brought into being by the Djokovic family (they bought the land its on, etc.) - is it a sign that:
a) players think whats the point of entering this, Novak will win
b) we dont get on very well with the Djokovic's and dont want to support this tournament?

More likely that there's plenty of big tourneys coming up and they want to keep their powder dry. Must say, though, that I was amazed that none of the top Serbs were playing.

Yeah me too SFP...and the strength of field isnt great outside the top Serbs either...makes you wonder how this event will compete against the others in future...and also what gate receipts will be like this week in Belgrade.

Im not sure what the prize money is Lydian is it worth ?
a) risking injury before some of the bigger tournaments and Olympics are coming up
b) possibly not bothering if they thought Djoko had been going to play
c) 250 points is not a great incentive either is it.
d) apart from fellow Serbians who would likely travel to watch it .

All in all doesn´t particularly surprise me with Djoko not playing I would suggest that there wont be many seats sold.

Good points Haddie...makes you wonder about the future of the event given there are 2 established events this week also on clay...Estoril and Munich (BMW Open).

It is quite surprising that Tipsy / troicki haven't entered but I suppose if there are better spoils to be had elsewhere it's entirely rational. I rather like Djokovic but his family do come across (perhaps unfairly) as somewhat grasping.

Indeed reckoner...and I think back to that infamous Federer moment "will you shut the **** up!" to Family Djokovic a few years back...no love lost there - I dont think Nole's family (inc. his brothers) as a whole are popular on tour!

Well I remember him simply saying "be quiet" to the Djokovic box - is that what you're thinking of or was there another occasion?

And yeah, getting your kid brother a round 1 appearance is unlikely to make friends with thos who think qualifiers need to be chosen on merit rather than whether their big bro is no. 1.

reckoner wrote:
And yeah, getting your kid brother a round 1 appearance is unlikely to make friends with thos who think qualifiers need to be chosen on merit rather than whether their big bro is no. 1.

In Belgrade there are even two brothers that got a wild card! One has lost in the 1st round of the qualifiers, and the other one will lose in the first round of the main tournament...

lol...well yes I was taking a little poetic licence there...although I'm sure its what he thought of saying!

Indeed - they both got a little help. Marko's current raking is 1574...not what you would think qualifies for entrance into an ATP level event. He plays Volandri later today. They say the younger one - Djordje - is more talented than Marko and as Nole says "he has a copy-and-paste version of my forehand"...might take just a wee bit more than that to be successful though.
Still, cant be easy for the two younger brothers to follow in Novak's footsteps.

I didn't know that prostaff - good grief!

The younger Djokivices are likely to be ruined by nepotism at this rate...