“It is my great pleasure to be here in Umag, in the city of tennis, linking this ATP tournament to the Davis Cup. I would like to congratulate the organizers of the Croatia Open on a worthy anniversary. This is an extremely important tournament for the Croatian Tennis Association as young players here win their first ATP points, thus practically making their first steps into their professional lives,” said Nikolina Babić, chairperson of the Croatian Tennis Association.
Umag Mayor Vili Bassanese said the following: “The mere size of the trophy is impressive and shows how hard it was to win it. Tourism and sports have this natural synergy effect, making Croatia visible as a tourist destination through sports. Thanks to Slavko Rasberger’s vision, and later to the determination of those who knew how to keep this tournament going, both Umag and Croatia are recognizable around the world for their ATP tournament.”
The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) has also acknowledged the importance of sports for Croatia’s recognizability. “For years now HTZ has been following this tournament. I would like to congratulate Mr. Slavko Rasberger on everything that he has done here, as well as Ms. Arlen Brozić, on her incredible enthusiasm and love that she has been showing to the whole tennis world. HTZ will once again follow the Davis Cup team and I hope the trophy will remain in Croatia for another year,” concluded Dubravko Šimenc, head of Strategic Marketing Projects Department at HTZ.
Following its reveal in Umag on Friday, the trophy will go back to the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zagreb.
On Friday, one of the most famous trophies in the world of sports, given to the Davis Cup champions, “guested” at the Social Arena, as part of the Plava Laguna Croatia Open. This is the second time this massive trophy, weighing over 100 kilos, was exhibited at the tournament, seeing as it had been at Stella Maris back in 2006, after Croatia had won the Davis Cup in Bratislava for the first time.
