Serbian sport highlights in 2009

Serbia wins two medals at shooting European Championships.

Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC, February 22, 2009 - Andrija Zlatic of Serbia won gold medal at the European Championships Air Weapons in Prague. Zlatic fired 684,6 points to win the first place in the men's 10m air pistol event. Serbian team consisting of Zlatic, Dimitrije Grgic and Damir Mikec took silver medal in the men's 10m air pistol.

Vlade Divac named as president of Serbia's Olympic committee.

Belgrade, February 24, 2009 - Former Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac was Tuesday named as the president of Serbia's Olympic committee. Divac was named president after his opponent, incumbent OC president Ivan Curkovic withdraw his candidacy. Divac won several World and European titles with Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. He also had an prominent career spanning longer than 15 years in the US national basketball association (NBA).

Novak Djokovic wins Dubai Open.

Dubai, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, February 28, 2009 - World number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the 12th title of his career and his first title of the season by beating David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Djokovic had pick up US$383,000 in prize money, as well as 500 ATP Tour points.

Sacramento Kings retire Divac's No. 21 jersey.

Sacramento, USA, April 1, 2009 - Vlade Divac's No. 21 jersey has been retired by the Sacramento Kings in honor of the Serbian center's six successful seasons with the club. He was the starting center on the Kings' back-to-back division champs and the 2002 Western Conference finalists. However, it was Divac the man rather than the basketball player that left a bigger impression on his teammates. He played 16 NBA seasons, including eight with the Los Angeles Lakers and two with the Charlotte Hornets, whose descendants in New Orleans faced the Kings on Tuesday night. Divac's jersey is the second retired this season by the Kings, who honored Chris Webber's No. 4 earlier in the season.

Jelena Jankovic wins in Andalucia tennis tournament.

Marbella, SPAIN, April 12, 2009 - World number four Jelena Jankovic claimed her first title of the season at the Andalucia Tennis Championships on Sunday. The Serbian second seed beat Spain's Carla Suarez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the final match. Jankovic won the first set comfortably before Suarez used one of her five break points to take the second set. But the Spaniard appeared to run out of steam in the third as Jankovic raced to a 5-1 lead and her first title win since October.

Victor Kiplagat Kigen, Sylvester Kipyego win Belgrade Marathon.

Belgrade, April 18, 2009 - Victor Kiplagat Kigen of Kenya won the 22nd Belgrade Marathon on Saturday, ahead of countrymen Sylvester Kipyego and Julius Kiplagat Korir. Kigen finished in 2 hours, 13 minutes, 28 seconds, Kipyego was second in 2:14.25, while Korir was third with a time of 2:14.28. Anne Ajepkemboi Kosgei of Kenya won the women's race, finishing in 2:34.51. Rasa Drazdauskaite of Lithuania was second in 2:34.59 and Maria Ruiz of Spain took third, 2:49.32. Serbian long-distance runner Olivera Jevtic won the women's half-marathon race at 1:12.20, thus triumphing for the sixth time at the Belgrade marathon. About 20,000 participants took part in the five kilometers long "UNICEF Race of pleasure".

Partizan defend NLB League title.

Belgrade, April 18, 2009 - Novica Velickovic scored 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds as Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade reached NLB League title for the third consecutive time by beating Cibona Zagreb 63-49 (17-9, 21-18, 9-16, 16-6).

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor win in men's doubles at ATP tournament in Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo, MONACO, April 19, 2009 - Rafael Nadal became the first player to win five straight Monte Carlo Masters titles by beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 on Sunday. The top-ranked Spaniard, however, lost a set at the clay-court tournament for the first time since the 2006 final against Roger Federer. After losing the first set, the 3rd-ranked Djokovic broke twice for a 5-1 lead in the second set. However, the final set was not as exciting as Nadal returned to form and Djokovic seemed unfocused and powerless. Second seeds Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and partner Daniel Nestor of Canada clinched their second ATP World Tour title of the 2009 season in the men's doubles with a 6-4, 6-1 win over top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan at the Monte Carlo Masters tournament.

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor capture title in Barcelona.

Barcelona, SPAIN, April 26, 2009 - Serb Nenad Zimonjic and Canadian Daniel Nestor defeated Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and India's Mahesh Bhupathi 6-3, 7-6 (9) to win the Barcelona Open doubles title.

Junior team of FMP defends European champions title.

Berlin, GERMANY, May 3, 2009 - FMP Belgrade defeated Lithuania's Lietuvos Rytas 110-123 in the final match to defend the European junior champions' title in basketball.

Nenad Zimonjic, Daniel Nestor win Rome Masters.

Rome, ITALY, May 3, 2009 - Serb Nenad Zimonjic and doubles tennis partner Daniel Nestor of Canada defeated top-ranked Americans Bob and Mike Bryan 7-6, 6-3 at the Rome Masters in Italy.

Novak Djokovic wins Serbia Open in Belgrade.

Belgrade, May 10, 2009 - World number three Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the 13th ATP title of his career by beating the unseeded Lucacs Kubot of Poland 6-3, 7-6 (0) in the final match of the inaugural Serbia Open tennis tournament, which was held from May 4 to 10 in Belgrade.

Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor capture doubles title at Madrid Open.

Madrid, May 17, 2009 - Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and Canadian partner Nenad Zimonjic will head to the French Open as the top seeds after beating Swede Simon Aspelin and South African Wesley Moodie in the men's doubles final Sunday at the Madrid Open.

Serbia wins bronze medal in FINA World League.

Podgorica, MONTENEGRO, June 21, 2009 - Serbia won the bronze medal in the FINA Men’s Water Polo World League after defeating USA, 9-7 (2-2, 1-2, 4-2, 2-1), in the third place match.

Nenad Zimonjic, Daniel Nestor defend doubles title in Wimbledon.

London, ENGLAND, July 4, 2009 - Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia and Canada's Daniel Nestor won the Wimbledon men's doubles title for the second year in a row with a 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over top-seeded Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States.

Serbia wins nine gold medals at 2009 Mediterranean Games.

Pescara, ITALY, July 5, 2009 - Serbia won 35 medals - 9 gold, 13 silver and 13 bronze - at the 16th Mediterranean Games which were held in Pescara, Italy.

Serbian athletes win 19 medals at Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

Belgrade, July 12, 2009 - Serbia won 19 medals - 5 gold, 5 silver and 9 bronze - at the 25th Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

Serbia takes silver at men's volleyball World League.

Belgrade, July 27, 2009 - Olympic runners-up Brazil beat Serbia 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 15-12) in a thrilling final match of the FIVB World League. Russia beat Cuba 3-0 (25-13, 26-24, 25-16) for the bronze medal.

Milorad Cavic win gold and silver, Nadja Higl takes gold at World swimming championships.

Rome, ITALY, July 27, 2009 - Serbia's Milorad Cavic won the gold medal in the 50-meter butterfly at the FINA World Championships in Rome. Rome, ITALY, August 1, 2009 - Milorad Cavic of Serbia won the silver medal in the men's 100 meter butterfly at the FINA World Championships in Rome. Rome, ITALY, July 31, 2009 - Serbia's Nadja Higl won the gold medal in the women's 200 meters breaststroke at the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome.

Serbia beats Spain to gain World water polo title.

Rome, ITALY, August 1, 2009 - Serbia beat Spain 7-6 on penalties after drawing 7-7 after extra time to win a men's waterpolo final at the FINA World Championships in Rome.

Serbia takes silver at Eurobasket.

Katowice, POLAND, September 20, 2009 - Serbia was defeated by Spain 63-85 (14-24, 15-28, 15-15, 19-18) in the final match of the men's European basketball championships in Poland.

Serbia beats Romania to qualify for FIFA World Cup.

Belgrade, October 10, 2009 - Milan Jovanovic scored twice as Serbia demolished Romania 5-0 on Saturday to qualify for the football 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Novak Djokovic, Nenad Zimonjic capture Basel crown.

Basel, SWITZERLAND, November 8, 2009 - Top-ranked Roger Federer lost his hometown tournament on Sunday, falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the Swiss Indoors final. Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada won their eighth tournament of 2009 on Sunday at the Swiss Indoors.

Djokovic, Zimonjic win Paris Masters.

Paris, FRANCE, November 15, 2009 - Third-seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won his first Paris Masters title by defeating Gael Monfils of France 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (3). Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and his partner Daniel Nestor of Canada won their ninth title of the season, defeating Spaniards Marcello Granollers and Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-4 at the Paris Masters.

Nadja Higl, Ivan Lendjer and Caba Siladji win medals at the European Short Course Swimming Championships.

Istanbul, TURKEY, December 11, 2009 - Serbia's Nadja Higl won silver medal in the women's 200m breaststroke at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Higl set a new Serbian record with a time of 2:17:52. Ivan Lendjer finished third in the men's 100m butterfly in 49.79. Istanbul, TURKEY, December 12, 2009 - Serbian swimmer Caba Siladji won bronze medal in the men's 50m breaststroke, with a time of 26.31, at the European Short Course Championships in Istanbul.