There is no doubt that the Serbian players have made their mark on the tennis map, but now they are stamping their place in history as well.
The Serbian postal service has officially issued stamps to honor players Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Nenad Zimonjic, and Janko Tipsarevic during the Olympic year.
Djokovic, the only Serb with a Grand Slam singles title to his credit, was the first to receive the distinction on April 4. He was presented a copy of his stamp by Goran Ciric, General Manager of PTT Srbija, Serbia’s leading internet service provider and a sponsor of Djokovic.
The fact that this occasion comes nearly one year after Roger Federer was issued the same honor in his native Switzerland did not slip the Australian Open champion’s mind.
“I reached Federer. Now I have my own postal stamp. Federer is 26 years old. He is very good and plays rationally. I know that one day I'll reach him because I am getting better from day to day,” Djokovic said.
Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic were the next players to receive the distinction.
“It's an incredible honor. It's surreal. This isn't something I ever imagined would happen to me, especially as I'm so young. But it's a great feeling,” said Ivanovic.
The stamp, valued at 40 Serbian dinars (approximately $0.78), is part of a limited edition of 30,000 prints.
“I feel very privileged to represent my country in this way," commented Jankovic.
"This is a sign from my fellow Serbs that they are proud of my accomplishments, and it makes me more motivated to represent Serbia and my people. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who are responsible for this act and I will give my best to win the gold medal in Beijing."
But despite these gracious words, rumors abound that there is some tension brewing about the value of each player’s stamp, according to Serbian sports news agency B92. Djokovic’s is priced highest at 46 dinars, followed by Ivanovic at 40, Jankovic and Zimonjic at 30, and Tipsarevic at 20 dinars.
While they aren’t exactly going postal over the issue, it has garnered a response by Ivanovic, the top-ranked Serbian woman and current World No. 2.
“We are all proud to grace the stamps, but there was a misunderstanding in communication and certain details should have been explained to us,” she explained, while Jankovic echoed similar sentiments.
“We are all part of the Olympic team. All the players should have equal value. That is a big honor, but we need to determine the value.”
Serbian postal official Vesna Rudic attempted to quell the controversy by adding that the value of the stamps was not relative to the player’s status, but was merely a way to provide the most variety as far as stamp values, comparing them to monetary units, which must be available in various denominations. Perhaps his argument would be afforded more merit if the values did not correspond to the players’ current rankings and popularity levels.
The stamps, painted depictions of the players in their element, are the work of Serbian artist Marina Kalezic and available in Serbia.