Serbian sports highlights of 2008

Serbia was defeated by USA in the Hopman Cup final.

Perth, AUSTRALIA, January 4, 2008 - Serbia lost to the United States in a deciding mixed doubles of the Hopman Cup final.
The U.S. led 1-0 after Jelena Jankovic forfeited her singles against Serena Williams because of a leg injury.
World number three Novak Djokovic had levelled the tie with a three-set win over Mardy Fish in the men's singles, 6-2, 6-7, 7-6.
Jankovic returned for the mixed doubles but the U.S. hit back from 4-1 down in the first set to win it 7-6, 6-2 and clinch their fifth Hopman Cup title.

Ana Ivanovic was defeated by Russian fifth seed Maria Sharapova in the final match of the Australian Open.

Melbourne, AUSTRALIA, January 26, 2008 - Serbian fourth seed Ana Ivanovic was defeated by Russian fifth seed Maria Sharapova, 5-7, 3-6, in the final match of the Australian Open.
Sharapova broke Ivanovic's serve in the fifth game of the first set and soon led 4-2. Ana broke back in the eighth game, took a 5-4 lead and had the Russian on the ropes, but Maria escaped from a 0-30 deficit.
Sharapova broke Ivanovic's serve again in the 11th game and then successfully served for the set.
The second set went with serve until at 3-3. Sharapova won the final three games, finishing with a net approach that forced Ivanovic to make mistake.

Novak Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to become the first Serb to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Melbourne, Jan 27, 2008 – Novak Djokovic beat unseeded French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-2) to become the first Serb to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Djokovic took advantage of a few imprecise forehand shots by his opponent and although Tsonga took the first set, Djokovic responded well to the setback.
During the second set, Djokovic improved his serve, played an excellent seventh game and set up a break point to take the lead.
Djokovic played tactically in the third set. Tsonga survived two break points but soon he found himself 3-1 down.
The 20-years-old from Belgrade held on to take the tie-breaker 7-2, and his first grand slam title.
Nenad Zimonjic won the title in the mixed doubles, playing with Chinese Tiantian Sun to triumph over the Indian team Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza 7-6(4), 6-4. This is the second title for Zimonijc in Melbourne, after winning the same title in 2004 when he teamed up with Russian Elena Bovina.

Milorad Cavic won the 50-meter butterfly title at the European swimming championships in Eindhoven.

Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS, March 19, 2008 - Milorad Cavic won the 50-meter butterfly title at the European swimming championships in Eindhoven.
Serbian swimmer also improved upon his European record time of 23.25 from yesterday. Cavic finished in 23.11 to beat defending champion Sergiy Breus of Ukraine, who was second in 23.48. Rafael Munoz Perez of Spain was third in 23.60.

Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic won the Indian Wells tennis titles.

Indian Wells, USA, March 23, 2008 - Top-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic won the Pacific Life Open WTA title here Sunday with a straight-sets victory over second-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Ivanovic, ranked No. 2, defeated Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3 to claim her sixth career title, first triumph of 2008.
She served five aces and Kuznetsova had none, and Ivanovic hit 29 winners to 14.
Third seed Novak Djokovic defeated unseeded American Mardy Fish with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 victory in the men's singles final match of the same tournament.
Djokovic was the tournament runner-up last year, losing the final to Rafael Nadal. He knocked off No. 2 Nadal in the semifinals this time.
It is Djokovic's ninth career title and comes two months after his Grand Slam win at the Australian Open.
The 20-year-old Serb seemed on his way to an easy victory after winning the first set and going up 4-2 in the second. But Fish came back to win five of the next six games and force a third set.
Djokovic broke Fish's serve in the second game of the final set, then each held serve the rest of the way.

Davor Stefanek claimed a bronze medal at 60 kg at the 2008 Greco-Roman European Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Tampere, FINLAND, April 6, 2008 - Serbia's Davor Stefanek claimed a bronze medal at 60 kg at the 2008 Greco-Roman European Championships in Tampere, Finland.

Novak Djokovic defeated Stanislas Wawrinka in the men's final match of the Rome Masters tennis tournament.

Rome, ITALY, May 11, 2008 - Third seed Novak Djokovic defeated unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, in the men's final match of the Rome Masters tennis tournament.
The 20-year-old Serb won the 10th title of his career.
Djokovic's third victory of 2008 will move him within 310 points of second-ranked Rafael Nadal in the ATP rankings.

Jelena Jankovic and Nenad Zimonjic won tennis titles in Rome.

Rome/Hamburg, May 18, 2008 - Fourth-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic defeated French qualifier Alize Cornet, 6-2, 6-2, in the final match of the WTA Rome International.
Jankovic successfully defended a title for the first time in her career with a dominant victory over the 18-year-old Cornet in just under one hour and 30 minutes.
The 23-year-old captured this event last year by beating Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final.
Serbian Nenad Zimonjic and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada won the doubles at the Hamburg Masters in Germany.
The pair beat Bob and Mike Bryan of United States of America, 6-4, 5-7 and 10-8 for the tiebreak.

Novak Djokovic was defeated in the French Open semifinals, while Nenad Zimonjic was defeated in the final of men's doubles.

Paris, FRANCE, June 6, 2008 - Serbia's Novak Djokovic was defeated by defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain, 4-6, 2-6, 6-7 (3), in the French Open semifinals.
The king of clay improved to 27-0 at Roland Garros and eliminated Djokovic from the tournament for the third consecutive year. The result prevented Djokovic from overtaking Nadal for the No. 2 ranking.
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Bob Bryan of the US won the mixed doubles title, defeating Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia in straight sets - 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Ana Ivanovic defeated Russia's Dinara Safina to win the women's French Open title on Saturday.

Paris, June 7, 2008 - Serbia's Ana Ivanovic defeated Russia's Dinara Safina, 6-4, 6-3, to win the women's French Open title on Saturday.
It is the first time Ivanovic has won a Grand Slam title.

She will overtake Maria Sharapova at the top of the world rankings on Monday.

Last year's finalist Ivanovic was too powerful for Safina, converting three of her four break points to take the opening set in 45 minutes.

She broke in the third game of the second set, held serve and sealed a straightforward win on Safina's serve when the Russian missed a forehand after one hour and 37 minutes.

Men's national water polo team defeated USA to win FINA World League.

Genoa, ITALY, June 22, 2008 - Serbia won the FINA water polo World League after defeating USA, 7-3 (1-1, 1-0, 2-2, 3-0), in the final match.
Scorers for Serbia were Vladimir Vujasinovic (2), Vanja Udovicic (2), Aleksandar Sapic, Andrija Prlainovic and Danilo Ikodinovic.
In the third place match, Australia beat Montenegro 8-7.

Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Canada's Daniel Nestor won the Wimbledon men's doubles title.

London, ENGLAND, July 5, 2008 - Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Canada's Daniel Nestor won the Wimbledon men's doubles title on Saturday with a 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe.
It was the first Grand Slam title for Zimonjic in the men's doubles, while the win was Nestor's fourth Grand Slam win after clinching three with Mark Knowles at the 2002 Australian Open, the 2004 US Open and the French Open in 2007.
Zimonjic took part in the final despite breaking a bone in his left wrist during Thursday's semi-final victory over Leander Paesa and Lukas Dlouhy.

Men's water polo national team of Serbia took silver medal at the European championships in Malaga, Spain.

Malaga, SPAIN, July 13, 2008 - Men's water polo national team of Serbia was defeated by Montenegro in overtime, 5-6 (1-2, 3-0, 0-2, 1-1, 0-1, 0-0), in the final match of the European championships in Malaga, Spain.
In the third place match, Hungary defeated Croatia 15-14 OT.

Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada defeated the American pairing of Bob and Mike Bryan to win the men's doubles final at the Rogers Cup championship in Toronto.

Toronto, CANADA, July 27, 2008 - Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada defeated the American pairing of Bob and Mike Bryan 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 to win the men's doubles final at the Rogers Cup championship Sunday in Toronto.
Nestor and Zimonjic have captured four titles on the tour this year and have won 14 matches in a row.
They will share the $130,000 prize.

Serbia won silver medal in the men's volleyball World League.

Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL, July 27, 2008 - Serbia was defeated by USA 1-3 (24-26, 25-23, 23-25, 22-25) in the final match of the volleyball World League in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Americans are the sixth team in 19 years of World League to win the competition, while Serbia (FR Yugoslavia, Serbia-Montenegro) claimed three silver and two bronze medals in the World League.
Serbia's Ivan Miljkovic was the top scorer of the final match with 28 points.
In the 3rd place match, Russia defeated Brazil 3-1 (25-23, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19).
Individual Awards of the 2008 World League
MVP (most valuable player): Lloy Ball (USA)
Best Scorer: Ivan Miljkovic (Serbia)
Best Spiker: Dante (Brazil)
Best Blocker: Marko Podrascanin (Serbia)
Best Setter: Lloy Ball (USA)
Best Server: Giba (Brazil)
Best Libero: Richard Lambourne (USA)

Serbian athletes won one silver and two bronze medals at the 29th summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

Jelena Jankovic lost to Serena Williams in the US Open final.

Belgrade/New York, Sept 8, 2008 – Serbian tennis player Jelena Jankovic played at the US Open last night, which was her first grand slam final, but lost to Serena Williams 2:0 (6:4, 7:5).
Thanks to the victory in New York, Williams will take over the number one spot in the WTA rankings from Ana Ivanovic, whereas Jankovic will move up to second.

Serbian athletes won two silver medals at the Beijing Paralympics - Borislava Peric in women's table tennis and Drazenko Mitrovic in men’s discus throw.

Serbia will host European championships in handball and volleyball.

Vienna/Madrid, September 27, 2008 - The European Handball Federation (EHF) announced today that Serbia has been awarded the 2012 Men's European Handball Championship.
The national federations of France and Germany also submitted bids for the competition.
Serbia and Italy will co-host the 2011 women's volleyball European championship. This decision was announced at the General Assembly of the European Volleyball Confederation, CEV.

Jelena Jankovic won three title in a row - China Open, Stuttgart Open and Kremlin Cup.

Serbia booked their place in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with two victory against Denmark.

Belgrade, October 15, 2008 - Serbia booked their place in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with a 1-0 victory against Denmark in Belgrade to advance 2-0 on aggregate.
The hosts went ahead on 74 minutes when Marko Milinkovic was sent clear and slotted the ball past Danish goalkeeper to confirm Serbia's place in Sweden.
The line up for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship was completed on Wednesday as Italy, Serbia and Germany won their play-offs to join England, Finland, Belarus and Spain alongside hosts Sweden in next summer's eight-team final tournament.

Ana Ivanovic beat Russian Vera Zvonareva in the final match of the WTA event in Linz.

Linz, AUSTRIA, October 26, 2008 - Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia beat Russian second-seeded Vera Zvonareva, 6-2, 6-1, in the final match of the WTA event in Linz, to win her first title since the French Open in June.
The 21-year-old Ivanovic completed the job in just 51 minutes on her first match point.

Novak Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic won the Masters Cup in tennis.

Milorad Cavic took gold and silver medal at the 12th European Short Course Swimming Championship in Rijeka.

Police arrest ten members of OVK “Gnjilane group”

Vranje/Presevo, Dec 26, 2008 – First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Ivica Dacic stated that in cooperation with security agencies, the police have taken in ten persons suspected of crimes against civilians near Gnjilane in 1999.

Dacic told a press conference in Vranje police administration that 17 facilities in the Presevo municipality were searched during the arrest, adding that leaders of the so-called Gnjilane group of the Kosovo Liberation Army (OVK) Fazli Ajdari, Redzep Ajiri and Saip Saciri live in Gnjilane and are not available to the Serbian police.

An international warrant will not be issued for them and instead the Serbian police will ask for UNMIK’s assistance, said Dacic.

The suspects are believed to have tortured and murdered over 50 persons on the territory of Gnjilane, said Dacic adding that the arrest confirms that Serbia’s security and defence system functions well.

The War Crimes Prosecution has even more evidence and depositions on crimes against Serbs and other non-ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, said Dacic adding that a serious process is yet to begin by far wider in scope than today’s arrest operation in Presevo.

The police took in ten persons, members of the OVK Gnjilane group on suspicion that from June to October 1999 they kidnapped 159 civilians of Serbian nationality and murdered at least 51, stated the Prosecution.

Apart from murder, they will also be charged with other criminal acts, such as rape, imprisonment, mutilation, torture and robbery, committed with the aim of banishing the Serbian and non-ethnic Albanian population from the Gnjilane municipality.

The arrest was carried out with the help of the Serbian Security and Intelligence Agency after several months of careful planning, adds the Prosecution’s statement.

Albania mass grave site photos surface

Source: B92
BELGRADE -- The Serbian War Crimes Prosecution has come into possession of photographs of the locations believed to be mass graves in northern Albania.

B92 has seen the photographs, taken by UN investigators in 2004, with places marked as possible mass graves containing the remains of Serb and other non-Albanian victims, who were first kidnapped in Kosovo, and then taken to Albania where their vital organs were removed and sold in the black market.

The mass grave in question is some 1.5 kilometers away from the so-called yellow house near the town of Burrel where the criminal activity was taking place.

The photographs are a part of a report on the case compiled by UN investigators. However, despite numerous appeals, this organization is yet to officially send the document to the War Crimes Prosecution.

It was revealed today that the prosecution managed to obtain the missing pages of the report through unofficial channels.

The mass grave marked in one picture is located in a field close to a cement plant near Burrel. The UN document, first reported about by B92, states that surgical instruments and various medication, including muscle relaxants, were found in the yellow house.

But the report, in its available format, is missing the photographs that now confirm these claims.

The prosecution has learned that the yellow house served "to prepare patients for surgery", while the extraction of organs from the victims was conducted in a psychiatric hospital in Burrel, registered as Prison 320, where the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, took the persons it kidnapped in Kosovo.

Suspicion that human organ trafficking was taking place here is additionally strengthened with information that 75 persons captured in Kosovo and 75 kidney patients were taken to the same place in Albania at the same time.

"The number of people kidnapped in Kosovo is equal to the number of patients brought there. It seems to us that those patients could have been organ recipients while the kidnapped could have been donors. When you have a donor whose life is unimportant to you, the surgery takes 20 minutes," prosecution spokesman Bruno Vekarić explained.

The prosecution also says that the best course of action would be to cooperate with their counterparts in Albania on this case, and in line with a cooperation agreement signed in 2005.

However, should the prosecution in Tirana stick to its position that it will not cooperate, it seems likely that CoE-appointed envoy Dick Marty, expected in Serbia and Albania as soon as in January, will investigate the case.

In the meantime, the location marked as the mass grave is "monitored around the clock" to make sure there is no exhumation done there, reports say.

State does not provide scholarships genius

From: B92
Belgrade - Despite the success, fifteen mathematical genius Theodor von Burg does not fit in standard Fund for young talents, and because there is no support for the state of Serbia.

Young mathematical genius, Theodore von Burg, the won medals in different competitions, but nevertheless does not meet the criteria of the Fund for young talents. Fund early December it was announced that opened the account in order to be rewarded with 320 thousand dinars for the success of the competition last year, however, did not receive the promised money, was not high school students.

Theodore is the first-grade math student gymnasium, and recently finished scientific Junior Olympic Games in South Korea won the silver medal, won older than themselves.

Compete in the category of older grades, with only the most important international competitions in Serbia brought 10 medals - two gold, six silver and two bronze.

Serbian economy successful in 2008

Belgrade, Dec 17, 2008 – Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic today said that the Serbian economy was successful during 2008 but the country will have to face challenges in the coming year that it has not met with up until now.
Speaking at the Summit meeting of Largest Serbian Exporters organised by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic’s cabinet and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Cvetkovic said that we are facing an economic crisis of historic proportions.

He said that it was noticed during the last trimester of this year that the crisis will also hit countries that were not affected initially, adding that one of Serbia’s largest problems is a high foreign trade deficit, therefore exporters have a very important role to play.

The Prime Minister said that the government has taken a series of restrictive as well as incentive measures and a sum of nearly €200 million in incentives will be made available through the Development Fund, as well as €250 million for encouraging the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, loaned by the European Investment Bank.

Cvetkovic said that the banking sector is liquid but the liquidity level of the rest of the economy is not very high.

He said that solidarity and shared responsibility are the principles required to deal with the crisis, reiterating that the government will make every effort to avoid hyperinflation.

He said that he expects that the 2009 budget will be approved by the end of the year, adding that in the case that this does not happen interim financing will be necessary for only a few days, until the budget is adopted.

He said that the government will withdraw one law from the Parliament’s agenda to shorten discussion and to initiate the debate on the budget, which could begin as early as tomorrow, although this is not definite.

He said that the Horgos-Pozega concession contract cannot be terminated because it never came into force.

He said that the December 31 deadline for the concessionaire, Sever Jug Autoput, to complete financial preparations has not expired yet and a discussion about further steps by the government can only begin after that date.

Cvetkovic confirmed that the government yesterday received a note from the concessionaire and is familiar with the proposal put forth by the mediator.

The purpose of the Largest Serbian Exporters Summit is to hold talks with business-people in order to examine the current economic situation and to present the measures planned by the government and the National Bank of Serbia to support the economy and exports.

Prominent business-people and entrepreneurs will present their opinions and recommendations at the meeting to jointly reach solutions to mitigate the effects of the global financial crisis.

Fiat deal Serbia’s great export opportunity

Belgrade, Dec 17, 2008 – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic today said that Zastava’s deal with Fiat is a great export opportunity for Serbia, especially in the context of the global economic crisis.

At the summit of Serbia’s largest exporters Dinkic said that a lot of public attention is being paid to the enforced holiday leave of Fiat employees in Italy, whereas its increased production in Poland is being overlooked. Fiat produces small cars in Poland, the kind of which it should start producing in Kragujevac as well, recalled the Minister.

He said that Serbia’s key export markets will still be those of the EU and regional countries, adding that export will be stimulated thanks to the free trade agreements.

The Minister recalled that Serbia has signed such an agreement with Russia, noting that its full potential has not yet been exploited. He also repeated that talks on free trade agreements with Belarus and Turkey are underway and the plan is to sign them with Ukraine and Iran as well.

According to him, if Serbia wants to attract foreign investments and increase export, customs procedures must be speedier. Serbia must also enable railway transport of goods from Turkey to the EU via Serbia, because the goods are now transported by trucks, which takes 130 hours, whilst by railway it could be cut down to 35 hours, explained Dinkic.

He announced that the government and the National Bank of Serbia are preparing measures to ensure the stability of the dinar and prices, noting that Serbia can respond to the crisis properly only if it is aware of its cause.

He explained that the crisis was caused by poor decisions made by a portion of the banking sector.

This crisis will cause problems for Serbian exporters as well, he said, adding that Serbia should seek to increase exports to countries in the region.

Speaking about basic macroeconomic indicators, Dinkic stressed that inflation should be around 8% by the year’s end, which is also the government’s projection for the next year.

Foreign direct investments in Serbia this year will amount to $3 billion, just as in 2007, which is quite satisfactory, he said.

Dinkic specified that Serbia’s public debt is pretty low and will this year stand at around 25% of GDP, which will enable the government to receive favourable loans for infrastructure investments.

Serbia’s largest problem is the deficit in the balance of payments, which this year stands at 17% of GDP but its growth is expected to slow down next year.

Serbia, Cyprus to fight organised crime

The Serbian and Cypriot governments will begin two-days of negotiations, on December 17 at 9 am, at the Serbian Government Palace (Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 2), regarding the text of the Memorandum of Cooperation they are to sign.

The Memorandum concerns cooperation in the fight against terrorism, organised crime, narcotics trade, illegal migrations and similar.

The talks will be opened by State Secretary of the Interior Dragan Markovic and the Ministry’s media office will issue a statement afterwards.

Cavic takes silver at European swimming championship

Rijeka, CROATIA, December 14, 2008 - Serbia’s best swimmer Milorad Cavic won silver medal in the men’s 50 meters butterfly at the 12th European Short Course Swimming Championship in Rijeka.

His time was 22.36.

Amaury Leveaux of France took first place and gold medal in a time of 22.23, and Rafael Munoz Perez of Spain was third with 22.48.

Cavic wins gold at European swimming championship

Rijeka, CROATIA, December 12, 2008 - Milorad Cavic won gold medal in the men's 100 meters butterfly at the 12th European Short Course Swimming Championship in Rijeka.

The best Serbian swimmer improved upon European record with a 49.19.

The silver medal went to Spain's Rafael Perez (49.74) and bronze was won by Russia's Nikolay Skvortsov (49.98).