I think everyone is fed up with this nonsense already. "Croats: hell is waiting for you." It is so sad that a newspaper would actually write this. It's sad that these people are so nationalistic that they see a simple tennis match as a clash of civilizations. I have a feeling that the Croats, like the rest of the world, see tennis as tennis, not as an ethnic conflict. As for the Serbian media, they would be wise to stop inflaming these tensions when even the players could care less. Stop tainting this great sport!

it is the journalists who inflame tensions with their comments and headlines......just look at this article's headline!

yes, it's preferable to play in Zagreb, but all Serbian players have said they will play wherever.

As for players, Djoko is a very close friend with Ljubicic, they shared a coach at one stage. Dusan Vemic plays doubles with Ivo Karlovic (most recent semi finals at AO). Generally, they all get along quite well.

So what if Croats said hell is waiting for you, I am sure media woudl treat the comment differently if it came from Spaniards or the French. In DC, home ground advantage is the key. I've watched Aussies go through same 'hell' in Argentina in DC and no one made such a big fuss. I've also watched Tennis Australia ask for a change of venue to no such hoopla from the media.

People of the Balkans have moved on, it's the media that keep dredging the past up and inflaming the nations over a turbulent past.

Well said, Nole! But...
I am from Serbia and I have to say that it is not that easy. Serbian and Croatian players are really good friends but the problem is not in them..it is in ppl who will be on stands. You know, for example our young ragby team will not be part of the competiton in Makarska (in Croatia) this year..They decided to pull out cause of their safety. last year (or 2 years ago, I'm not sure) crowd on stands was screaming "Hang Serbs from the willow trees" and "kill kill kill the Serbs"...so, you know - it is not pretty thing to see and not easy to play under that kind of pressure. And still some tourists from Serbia have problems there ( smashed cars etc. ) Zagreb is different thing from Dalmatia. They are like Belgrade. Big city with many nations living in it. They left past (mostly) behind them... Well, we'll see what will happen! I hope for the best!
Sorry for this, it is not nice thing to read, but you can't see situation here clearly until you see it with your own eyes....It is a really sad and ugly thing to mix politics with sport...

I spend a lot of time near Split, and while I am sometimes troubled by things I hear or graffiti I read there, in the month of July, when it is so hot, maybe Dalmatians will be able to prove that they are not as dangerous as some believe. The national tourism authority pressed hard to woo Serbian tourists to Dalmatia last year, and I believe there were fewer of these ugly incidents. I once drove a car with Croatian tags into Serbia and was pulled over for passing a clearly drunk driver, who continued on his way.

The line quoted from the newspaper clearly doesn't help matters at all. I'd say hell is waiting for journalists who keep these tensions going instead of promoting understanding.

Nice statement from Djokovic. Hope there's no violence or anything :(
I'm rooting for Croatia, but Serbian's have a stronger team.

Split IS a problematic place, like it or not. It has a crazy major who only recently shocked Croatia with his very racist and tastless remarks about Serbs. Sure, majority of people are fine but it only takes a group of Hajduk soccer fans (Torcida) to make a peaceful gathering into a war zone.

Nikola (Niki) Pilic is in a very delicate position. He is a former top player, won Davis Cup with Germany and Croatia and is now an advisor and part of the Serbian team. Split is his hometown. He can be branded as traitor :((.

Exactly, Danice. Pilic said he would not be sitting on Serbian team bench if Split is going to be the host. If he thinks he is not going to be "safe" there what should we expect?! I mean, there is no difference in being an advisor to our team here or there..If they think he is a traitor, they already think that cause he is with our team in general. I reeeally wish for Zagreb to be chosen as host! :/