PORTOROZ, August 7, 2017
The fifth edition of the Zavarovalnica Sava Slovenia Open kicked off in style on a sunny Monday afternoon. The €43,000 ATP Challenger event will be held on hard courts at the local Tennis Club in Portoroz until 12 August 2017.
Opening press conference in Portoroz with the tournament’s organizers and sponsors
“I think you cannot find a better place in Slovenia than Portoroz for having a professional tennis tournament. The venue is located next to the seaside. Everything is prepared now for the main draw and we are looking forward to nine days of exciting tennis as well as entertaining side events,” tournament director Aljas Kos told Tennis TourTalk on Monday afternoon during the opening press conference held on a pier.
“Of course, it would be nice to have a Slovenian player winning the tournament. Blaz Kavcic is in great form. He clinched two tournaments in recent times and I hope that he will play in the final.”
The 30-year-old Ljubljana native will be the top-seed facing a qualifier in the opening round. Kavcic won the tournament here in Portoroz back in 2015. He lifted the Challenger trophies in Winnipeg and Granby last month, getting him back into the Top 100. Kavcic is currently ranked World No. 84.
Grega Zemlja Retires From Professional Tennis
Local favourite @GZemlja has returned to Portoroz for one more time, playing his last tourney as pro. Exhibition match on Friday Vs Bedene. pic.twitter.com/UQEskOVbCg
— TennisTourTalk (@TennisTourTalk) 7. August 2017
The champion of the inaugural editon in 2013, Grega Zemlja, has returned to Portoroz for a very last time as professional tennis player. The 30-year-old Slovenian will end his career this week and will compete in an exhibition match on Friday evening against Aljaz Bedene.
Besides the tennis action a couple of side events are going to take place throughout the week.
