unique sports story
The Big 4 Osijek – History has been made!
On Monday, July 14, 2025, Osijek became the first city in the world with public and free courts on all four Grand Slam surfaces! With the opening of a hard court inspired by the Australian Open, on the fourth public court in the city’s Retfala district, a unique sports story was completed, placing Osijek firmly on the world tennis map.
The Big 4 Osijek project is an initiative of Donna Vekić, one of Croatia’s most successful tennis players and an Olympic medalist, strongly supported by the City of Osijek and the Osijek-Baranja County. From the very beginning, the project was conceived as a humanitarian-sports platform that promotes healthy lifestyles, inspires children and youth, and makes tennis accessible to everyone.
All courts will remain permanently free for citizens to use.
“This was my dream – to give back to the community and the city where I grew up, something that will permanently benefit future generations,” emphasized Donna Vekić at the opening ceremony.
This unique event was graced by four legendary tennis players and Olympic medalists who have left an indelible mark on world tennis history: Mary Pierce, Martina Hingis, Marion Bartoli, and Iva Majoli. Alongside Donna Vekić, they played unforgettable matches on all four surfaces – the very same ones where they achieved their greatest triumphs.
Several thousand spectators followed the matches at all locations, and the atmosphere on Osijek’s neighborhood courts was unique and emotional, with thousands of people witnessing this historic event live.
A special moment was Donna Vekić’s arrival in the electric hypercar Bugatti Rimac Nevera, a symbol of domestic success, innovation, and top sports performance. This detail further highlighted the blend of sport, technology, and inspiration that defines the project.
There was tremendous public and media interest following every step of the Big 4 Osijek. Most leading national and regional media covered the event, and the entire story was captured in a documentary film directed by Bruno Kovačević, which premiered on July 20, 2025, on HRT 2. The film offers exclusive moments of the project’s creation and realization, as well as personal impressions from Donna Vekić and the legendary tennis players who participated.
The Big 4 Osijek is not just a sports project. It is a movement.
A movement born from Donna Vekić’s vision, which today makes Osijek a city of equal opportunities, inspires younger generations, and reminds us that sport belongs to everyone.
Thank you to all the citizens, volunteers, partners, and tennis legends who helped make this vision a reality. Through this project, Osijek has shown what it looks like when Grand Slam values take root in public spaces – for all of us.
