Former tennis star Jelena Dokic claims father ‘beat me really badly’ during years of abuse
Dokic, a former Hong Kong exhibition tournament winner, claims in new autobiography that her father and coach, Damir Dokic, physically, verbally and emotionally abused her
Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Jelena Dokic has said her father physically, verbally and emotionally abused her from a young age when she started playing tennis.
In an autobiography to be released this week, the 34-year-old Dokic has said that Damir Dokic, who also was her coach, regularly beat her, pulled her hair and ears, kicked her and even spat in her face. She said her father also frequently directed vile insults toward her.
“He beat me really badly,” the former No 4-ranked Dokic was quoted as saying in Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph.
“It basically started day one of me playing tennis. It continued on from there. It spiralled out of control.”
After losing to Lindsay Davenport in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2000, at the age of 17, Dokic said her father refused to acknowledge her following the match and when she finally reached him on the telephone, he told her not to return to the hotel where the family was staying.
She said she was distressed and attempted to sleep in the player area at Wimbledon, before officials contacted her agents and arranged for her stay with them.