Novak Djokovic, the men’s world number one tennis player, tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and then apologised to all individuals who contracted the virus after playing in a tournament he organised in Serbia and Croatia.
Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, Croatia’s Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki have previously tested positive after playing in Adria Tour exhibition tournament in the Balkan region before Mr Djokovic confirmed he and his wife Jelena had returned positive tests following the event in Badar, Croatia, although their children have not.
Djokovic's fitness coach Marco Panichi and Dimitrov's coach Christian Groh have also tested positive.
Djokovic now admits he was wrong to organise the Adria Tour events.
In a tweeted statement later on Tuesday, Djokovic said he and his wife are currently asymptomatic and will self-isolate.
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic touches hands with Olga Danilovic during their mixed doubles match. Source: AP
"I am so deeply sorry our tournament has caused harm," he said.
"Everything the organisers and I did the past month, we did with a pure heart and sincere intentions.
"We believed the tournament met all health protocols and the health of our region seemed in good conditions to finally unite people for philanthropic reasons.
"We were wrong and it was too soon. I can't express enough how sorry I am for this and every case of infection."
It followed an earlier statement in which the 33-year-old again apologised.
"I am extremely sorry for each individual case of infection. I hope that it will not complicate anyone's health situation and that everyone will be fine," it said.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios issued another withering condemnation after already saying going ahead with the tournament was a "boneheaded decision" in a tweet on Monday.
But with video footage emerging on social media of the Serb dancing in a nightclub with some of the other tournament players, Mr Kyrgios let rip on Twitter again following Djokovic's announcement on Tuesday.
"Prayers up to all the players that have contracted Covid- 19," Kyrgios said, retweeting a video of the players dancing shirtless in Belgrade.
"Don't @ me for anything I've done that has been 'irresponsible' or classified as 'stupidity' - this takes the cake."
The organisers said that the remainder of the Adria Tour had been cancelled, the two-day event on July 3-4 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and the planned exhibition match with Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in Sarajevo on 5 July.
The tournament featured packed stands during the opening leg in Belgrade, players hugging at the net, playing basketball, posing for pictures and attending press conferences together.
