In the first stint, the Serbia Open took place between 2009-2012, with Novak Djokovic buying the license and staging the event at his tennis center in Belgrade.
After four editions, the Serbian capital stayed without an ATP event for nine years, with Andreas Seppi as the last champion in 2012. Making great progress this season, Belgrade will host a couple of professional tournaments, including the fifth edition of the ATP Serbia Open next week. Novak Djokovic leads the field that could have been stronger, with Dominic Thiem, Gael Monfils, Stan Wawrinka and Borna Coric all withdrawing and leaving the struggling Italian Matteo Berrettini as Novak's main rival.
Djokovic will face Soonwoo Kwon or a qualifier in the second round before a more serious quarter-final duel against Laslo Djere, Miomir Krcmanovic or Juan Ignacio Londero. The Australian Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev and Marton Fucsovics are the players to beat in the second quarter, with the young guns Alexei Popyrin and Sebastian Korda hoping to spoil their party and reach the semis.
Dusan Lajovic should advance into the semis from the third quarter, while Filip Krajinovic and Matteo Berrettini stand as the favorites in the bottom quarter.