Novak Djokovic's Adria Tour crisis deepens after Borna Coric tests positive for coronavirus

Exhibition series was hosted in front of packed crowds across the Balkan region

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  Novak Djokovic in action against Viktor Troicki during their match for the Adria Tour tennis tournament in Belgrade, Serbia. EPA

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  Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitov and Germany's Alexander Zverev at the trophy ceremony during the Adria Tour at Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade, Serbia. Reuters

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  Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during the Adria Tour. Reuters

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  Djordje Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic during a press conference announcing the cancellation of the Adria Tour final. Reuters

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  Djordje Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic announce the cancellation of the Adria Tour final after Grigor Dimitrov tested positive for the coronavirus. Reuters

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  Novak Djokovic hugs Jelena Jankovic during a tennis doubles against Serbia's Nenad Zimonjic and Olga Danilovic at a charity exhibition hosted by Novak Djokovic, in Belgrade. AFP

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  Serbia's Viktor Troicki, Nenad Zimonjic, Dusan Lajovic, Novak Djokovic, Austria's Dominic Thiem and Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov during Adria Tour at Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade, Serbia, June 12. Reuters

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic with his wife Jelena in the stands in Belgrade. Both have contracted Covid-19. Reuters

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  Novak Djokovic during Adria Tour at Novak Tennis Centre in Belgrade, Serbia, June 14. Reuters

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses for a picture before the match with Serbia's Pedja Krstin. Reuters

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses next to Biserka Petrovic during a press conference in Zadar, Croatia on June 19. Reuters

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  Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses for picture next to Croatia's Marin Cilic and Borna Coric. Reuters

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  Grigor Dimitrov, centre, with Alexander Zverev, left, and Novak Djokovic courtside at the Adria Tour. EPA

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  Grigor Dimitrov, centre, with Alexander Zverev, left, and Novak Djokovic at the Adria Tour. EPA

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  Grigor Dimitrov plays basketball with Novak Djokovic in Zadar, Croatia, during the Adria Tour. AP Photo

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  Spectators watch a match during the Adria Tour, an exhibition tournament, in Zadar, Croatia. AP Photo

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  Grigor Dimitrov, right, poses for photos with Borna Coric during their Adria Tour semifinal in Zadar, Croatia. AP Photo

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  From left, Dusan Lajovic, Viktor Troicki, Grigor Dimitrov, Filip Krajinovic, Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic during the Adria Tour. AFP

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  Grigor Dimitrov, facing camera, shakes hands with Dominic Thiem at the end of their match at the Adria Tour. AFP

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  Grigor Dimitrov greets Dominic Thiem at the end of their match at the Adria Tour. AFP

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  Dominic Thiem serves to Grigor Dimitrov during the Adria Tour in Belgrade, Serbia. Getty Images

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  Dusan Lajovic serves to Grigor Dimitrov during a match at the Adria Tour in Belgrade. AFP

Croatian tennis player Borna Coric has revealed he has contracted the coronavirus, becoming the second player to participate in the Adria Tour to return a positive test.

Coric's diagnosis follows that of Grigor Dimitrov, who said on Sunday he had contracted Covid-19.

Bulgarian Dimitrov also played in Novak Djokovic's exhibition event and the final in the Croatian coastal resort of Zadar was cancelled as a result.

Organisers of other sports looking to resume from the coronavirus shutdown will be watching developments with some trepidation as they try to find the safest way of getting competition back underway.

"I want to make sure anyone who has been in contact with me during the last few days get tested," the 23-year-old Coric wrote on Twitter. "I am really sorry for any harm I might have caused. I'm feeling well and don't have any symptoms."

With international tennis suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, world No 1 Djokovic organised the Adria Tour as a charity event to be contested over four legs across the region.

Djokovic's fitness coach Marco Panichi has also tested positive, Serbian daily Sportski Zurnal reported, quoting Croatia's health institute.

The tournament witnessed packed stands during the opening leg in Belgrade, players hugging at the net, posing for pictures together and dancing at clubs.

With both Serbia and Croatia easing lockdown measures weeks before the event, players were not obliged to observe social distancing rules in either country.

"It is recommended that anyone who has been in close contact for more than 10 minutes with the tennis player be advised to self-isolate for 14 days and to contact their doctor," the event organisers said in a statement.

Australian Nick Kyrgios asked on Twitter if Djokovic, Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Alexander Zverev had been tested following Dimitrov's result.

American tennis great Chris Evert has criticised the organisers for the lack of social-distancing, saying, "Total physical contact, no face masks, even the fans were without masks. I don't get it."