Damir Dokić
Damir Dokić (Serbian: Дамир Докић; 1958 – 16 May 2025)[1] was a Serbian tennis coach. He was the father and first coach of former professional tennis player Jelena Dokic.[2] He gained notoriety for being involved in various violent incidents in which he was verbally and physically abusive.
Early life and education
[edit]Damir Dokić, a Serb, and his wife Ljiljana (née Podnar), a Croat, lived in Osijek where they had two children, Jelena born in 1983 and her younger brother, Savo.[3]
Dokić was a self-proclaimed veteran of the Croatian War of Independence, in which he fought on the side of the Serbs.[4] Due to the instability of the breakup of Yugoslavia, the family settled in Sombor, Serbia for a short time before immigrating to Australia in 1994.[3]
Upon arrival in Australia they lived in Fairfield, a suburb of Sydney.[3]
Coaching career
[edit]Dokic coached his daughter Jelena from a young age until 2002.
In 1999, Jelena, a qualifier at Wimbledon and ranked no 129 at the time, caused an upset when she defeated world No. 1 Martina Hingis in straight sets in the first round.[5] Jelena rapidly ascended through the rankings after her Wimbledon breakthrough but her time in the world elite was beset by off-court struggles. Jelena has stated that her father had abused her verbally, emotionally, and physically on a regular basis throughout her childhood and during her career.[6][7][8]
On the advice of her outspoken father and coach, Jelena switched allegiance to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in November 2000. In 2002, Jelena dropped her father as coach and, in 2003, hired Borna Bikić to replace him. She switched her allegiance back to Australia in 2005.
For a time, after he ceased being his daughter's coach, Dokic returned to Serbia where he manufactured plum and pear "Eagle Brandy".[4]
Incidents
[edit]In 2000, Dokic threw a piece of fish at a cafeteria worker at the US Open after complaining about paying $10 for it. He was then banned from the tournament.[9]
At the 2001 Australian Open, after Jelena Dokic's first-round loss to Lindsay Davenport, Dokić said that there were irregularities in the draw and that he was banned from the tournament due to abusive behavior. He later said "I think the draw is fixed just for her."[10]
During the 2002 Australian Open, he was featured in a series of advertisements for Kia Motors, the title sponsor of the event, poking fun at his past misconduct. Kia defended the choice, citing 98 percent recognition of him and saying that he would not be too expensive.[11]
In June 2009, after Dokic threatened the Australian ambassador to Serbia, Clare Birgin,[12] with a hand grenade, Dokić was sentenced to 15 months in prison for causing public danger and for the illegal possession of weapons. He appealed against the sentence but it was upheld in September 2009.[13] Following a further appeal, the sentence was reduced to 12 months[14] and Dokić was released from jail in April 2010.[15]
Death
[edit]Damir Dokić died on 16 May 2025,[8] after an apparent battle with cancer.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ Preminuo Damir Dokić (in Serbian)
- ^ "Dad? He's out of the picture". The Guardian. 6 April 2003.
- ^ a b c Jelena Dokic; Jessica Halloran (19 January 2019). Unbreakable. Random House Australia. ISBN 978-0143784241.
- ^ a b Milovanovic, Selma (9 May 2009). "Threats a joke, Dokic tells court". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
- ^ "What Jelena Dokic's Australian Open Run Meant to the Tennis World". Bleacher Report. 27 January 2009.
- ^ De Silva, Chris (7 April 2023). "Jelena Dokic shares chilling images from aftermath of brutal abuse during her career". wwos.nine.com.au.
- ^ Dokic, Jelena (8 November 2024). "Jelena Dokic on tennis and the truth". ABC listen (Interview). Conversations. Radio National. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ a b Harrington, Anna (21 May 2025). "Jelena Dokic confirms death of father Damir Dokic". The Canberra Times.
- ^ "Tennis Dad Ousted After Noisy Racket". 31 August 2000.
- ^ "Dokic to be recognized as Yugoslav at Open". Sports Illustrated. 14 January 2001. Archived from the original on 24 January 2001.
- ^ "Strange choices Down Under". Sports Illustrated. 15 January 2002. Archived from the original on 8 February 2002.
- ^ "Jelena Dokic's Father on Hunger Strike". Tennis Now. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- ^ "Jail sentence upheld for Dokic's dad". ABC News. 25 September 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
- ^ "Damir Dokic has jail sentence cut". ABC News. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 26 February 2010.
- ^ "Jelena Dokic's dad Damir released from prison". Daily Telegraph. 16 April 2010.
- ^ https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/tennis/jelena-dokics-estranged-father-damir-dokic-has-died/news-story/41749764d92f6b7187971277e1680164?amp