Why is Serbia so much better at sports than their neighbours?

[Pribislav]

In our last match in waterpolo Serbs were beaten, and Croatia won world title. Tennis? We had far more big players than Serbia. Serbia only has Đoković, who is half Croat, and better than all our players.
But we have always been tennis power compared to them, and we won Davis Cup last season.

Serbs are much better in volleyball and basketball, although in basketball in the past it wasn't so.
We outclass them in handball, and most importanly, football.

In combat sports they are nowhere close to Croats either.

Đoković play for Serbia, origin of his mother is not important.

Goran Ivanišević have Serbian origin, still he was Croatian tenis nis player.
Goran Ivanišević is cousin of one my friend and who is full Dalmatian Serb.

[MustafaTekin]

Serbia has always left a good impression on me. As a baketball fan i know more about basketball; dejan bodiroga is the best european basketball player of all time, imo.

Djokovic and Ivanovic are great players.they belong(ed) at the highest level.

as far as gold medals at olypical games are concerned: the hungarians are by far the best in the region tho. I don't really follow the sports where the hungarians are good at. they certainly deserve appreciation tho.

[Kamal900]

Love knows no borders

I understand

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palest...rbia_relations

[MustafaTekin]

because they're tall

I'm also tall, NBA teams should draft me

[Jana]

Yes, I forgot Hungary, a true Olympic powerhouse. They are historically most sucessfull waterpolo nation as well.

[ixulescu]

It's all about how much money is put into sports.
Yugoslavia spent large amounts in the 80s in sports, and the good infrastructure still pays off today.

Communist Romania used to spent a lot in sports as well (in the 60s and 70s) with excellent results. Romania between 1948 and 1988 (during communism) won 199 medals at the Olympics. In comparison, during the same period, Yugoslavia won less than half (75 medals). However, since the 80s Romania has not spent a dime on sports, which has been in decline ever since.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania_at_the_Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugosl...t_the_Olympics

[hotrod]

Serbians have more SSA DNA making them superior athletes

[Jana]

Đoković play for Serbia, origin of his mother is not important.

Goran Ivanišević have Serbian origin, still he was Croatian tenis nis player.
Goran Ivanišević is cousin of one my friend and who is full Dalmatian Serb.

No he doesn't. If you are looking for Croatian sport legend who was mixed it is Drazen Petrovic who was half Montenegrin.

When he tragically died, our basketball sucess died with him.

[Pribislav]

Serbians have more SSA DNA making them superior athletes

Bullshit, there is no SSA in Serbs and neighboring nations. Balkan is not Sicily, southern Italy/Spain or Portugal were exist 1-3% SSA on average.

Serbian superiority in sport is due to Dinaric dna and some other factors.

[MustafaTekin]

The Serbs beat us in the european championship final Volleyball this year. it was a very exciting match. they also beat us in the basketball final in 2001. that's probably why they get my extra attention