Tennis players from 20 countries and from all continents are in Kiseljak these days, where they are fighting for the highest podiums and prize money at the Kiseljak Open, one of the three strongest tennis tournaments in the country.
This year’s jubilee, 25th edition of the tournament, which is hosted by the Elliptic Tennis Club from Kiseljak, is currently in the round of 16, and as Sara Udovicic, a member of the OO tournament, told Fena news agency, the quality of tennis is excellent, and many seeded players have experienced defeats.
“This year we have about 100 players from 20 countries. The tournament has a 25-year tradition, since 2010 it has been played under the auspices of the ITF, the International Tennis Association. All the players are satisfied, most of them return every year and we are happy that we can host them. This year we have a couple of unexpected results, the second seed just dropped out of the tournament, and that shows the quality of tennis,” said Udovicic.
Ivan Biletić, a 17-year-old member of TK Elliptic, recorded his first ATP point at this tournament.
“I’m very sorry that I didn’t manage to win the first ATP point in singles, but the second opportunity was in doubles. With this point, I entered the world of professional tennis,” Biletić said, adding that thanks to the tournament, tennis is becoming increasingly popular in Kiseljak.
“Every year we grow. People have come to love white sports through this tournament, so the audience is increasing every year,” said Biletić.
Tennis players who are in Kiseljak for the first time told us that they are satisfied with the conditions. Fares Zakaria from Egypt emphasized that he enjoys BiH.
“This is my first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The weather is good as well as the food, which I especially liked. There are really good players in the tournament, everyone is playing well and I am happy to be able to play there,” said Zakaria.
The tournament lasts for a few more days, and it should be noted that the prize fund amounts to 25,000 dollars, Fena writes.
