Dominic Thiem's manager: Novak Djokovic is the only one who needs to be sorry

Dominic Thiem's manager Herwig Straka has said the organizers of Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour claimed there would be up to maximum of 1,000 fans and that social distancing would be practiced throughout the event. 

The first leg of the Adria Tour run through June 13-14 in Belgrade and back-to-back French Open runner-up Thiem was one of the players who participated at the event. 

Thiem, ranked at No. 3 in the world, showed the best tennis in Belgrade as he won each of his three group matches played, before he beat Serb Filip Krajinovic in the final to win it. 

But the crowd in Belgrade and at the Adria Tour event in Zadar a week later was packed and players shook hands, hugged and played contact sports such as football and basketball.

This year's Australian Open runner-up Thiem didn't play in Zadar as he had previously signed up to play the Ultimate Tennis Showdown from week two at the Mouratoglou Academy.

"I insisted on receiving their COVID-19 regulations. Two days prior to the event it was said that there would be 1000 fans max, social distancing guaranteed. They didn't hold up to that," Straka told Der Standard.

Dominic #Thiem's manager tells @SportStandardAt reg #AdriaTour: "I insisted on receiving their COVID-19 regulations. 2 days prior to the event it was said that there will be 1000 fans max., social distancing guaranteed. They didn't hold up to that."https://t.co/9SaLhS0nLR

— Lukas Zahrer (@ZahrerLukas) June 25, 2020

'Novak Djokovic is the only one who needs to be sorry'

Upon returning to Serbia after a two-month of quarantine in Marbella, Djokovic launched the Adria Tour. 

The event was aiming to make a stop in four Balkan countries -- Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia. 

Djokovic's long-time wish was to make a tennis tour around Balkan countries and he thought the Tour suspension was a perfect opportunity for something like that.

Unfortunately, four players who participated at the Adria Tour tested positive and Djokovic is now receiving lots of criticism. 

"The only one who needs to be sorry is Djokovic, because he initiated all of it. The others were only there and didn't kill anyone," Straka said.

Remarkable stance: "The only one who needs to be sorry is Djokovic, because he initiated all of it. The others were only there and didn't kill anyone."

— Lukas Zahrer (@ZahrerLukas) June 25, 2020

On Sunday, 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion Grigor Dimitrov announced he tested positive for the coronavirus.

The day later, it was confirmed that the tests of Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki came back as positive.

On Tuesday, the news broke out that 17-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus, while their kids tested negative. 

Thiem has been tested three times since the Adria Tour event in Belgrade and all his tests were negative.  

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is feeling well as he and his wife will be in self quarantine for 14 days.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3ewQe3n