| When interviewed about their troubled nation's past, | | | | Djokovic refused to comment about the incident, |
| each one can remember those frightening days and | | | | preferring to let the tournament officials deal with |
| troublesome times. Knowing that they possess a | | | | enforcing security control. Novak Djokovic's coach sat |
| special talent in sports, particularly tennis, it gave them | | | | in the stands and had a first hand encounter on how |
| something to dream for. They may not admit it directly | | | | these fans caused tension and how it can interrupt the |
| but tennis has provided them an opportunity to flee the | | | | players. |
| harsh conditions of a nation in strife. And it gave them | | | | It surprised me further to learn that not only was there |
| a bright future, of something to look forward too. | | | | a fracas in the Djokovic-Delic match but in another |
| It seems sad to read about news reports that right | | | | tennis match involving Marin Cilic of Croatia and |
| after the match between Djokovic and Amer Delic, an | | | | Tipsarevic. This time it was some Serbian fans who |
| American born in Bosnia, was finished with Djokovic | | | | after witnessing their countryman lost his match |
| winning it in four sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), Serbian and | | | | against Cilic, went straight to a bar and then had an |
| Bosnian nationalities clashed on tournament grounds. | | | | encounter with Croatian supporters that caused two |
| One innocent bystander, a female, got hit by the chair | | | | people to be thrown out of the bar. |
| throwing incident but escaped unhurt. Police charged | | | | Ivan Ljubicic isn't thrilled with what this kind of |
| two people for the melee and evicted 30 people from | | | | supporters are doing. He claims that these people |
| the tennis grounds. Those taken off were young lads | | | | watch the event to promote their respective political |
| in their late teens of early twenties and of Balkan | | | | agenda and not necessarily support the players. He |
| ancestry. It apparently started when Bosnian | | | | may be right about that but ever since the venue for |
| supporters were beginning to get rattled by the | | | | the Australian Open has been moved to Melbourne |
| ongoing Serbian celebrations since Djokovic was | | | | Park, the surroundings have provided a more laid back |
| leading the match. It escalated into a chair throwing | | | | ambiance. Nowadays, you can see these die hard |
| competition as described by state police. | | | | supporters who carry their respective national flags, |
| Credit goes to the two tennis players who didn't let the | | | | have their faces painted with their flags' colors and |
| brewing tension among the fans affect them. Instead, | | | | sing songs in their native languages. |
| they were so focused in their respective tasks to win | | | | I, for once, have attended these games and I do agree |
| the match that they produced some great tennis | | | | that the crowd does help the players push on to the |
| stroke rallies. I wanted Djokovic to lose the fourth set | | | | next level. But let our support for our favorite players |
| only because I didn't want the match to end. I didn't | | | | be not carried away to cross boundaries of civility and |
| realize though that some of the fans were beginning to | | | | common sense. Because at the end of the day, all we |
| become unruly. Delic then posted a message in the | | | | want is to watch a good match and bask in the |
| Web, encouraging fans to be calm after he | | | | moment of the experience. No one wants to go to jail |
| experienced some disruptions in a previous match. | | | | anyway, or do some people really want to? |