This week, the ‘tennis father’ of Novak Djokovic, former French Open finalist and world No. 6 Nikola Pilic, died at the age of 86.
Players and fans alike immediately began to share tributes in honor of the five-time Davis Cup captain.
Now, Novak Djokovic, who was accepted to Pilic’s academy in Germany when he was 12, despite the academy only allowing students over 14, paid tribute to his ‘tennis father’ in a series of posts on social media.
Editor’s Note: These posts have been condensed into cohesive paragraphs for readability.
“Dear Mr. Niko, I received sad news today while I was on the court, finishing my training. A feeling of emptiness and sorrow overwhelmed me. I hope you felt how much you meant to me in my career and life. Your impact on my development as a person and a tennis player remains indelible.
“I feel eternal gratitude to you and your wonderful wife Mia for accepting me as your own son when I was 12 years old. My parents and brothers have always felt you as a member of the family. When almost everyone turned their backs on us and while our country was being devastated by bombing, Mija and you extended a hand of support to us and did everything in your power so that my brothers and I could continue to live our dream and engage in the sport we love.”
“Thank you for all the moments that relived in my mind today and that will remain etched in my memory for as long as I. Alongside the sadness and mixed emotions I feel, your image and memories of our shared moments bring joy and gratitude to my heart.”
“Your legacy will endure for a long time, and will look back on your persona and achievements with great admiration. All your accomplishments as a player, coach, and selector are inscribed in golden letters in the books of Balkan and world tennis history. For me, however, the most important thing is that I can proudly call you “Sjor Niko, my tennis Father”. Rest in peace ”
(Translations via X/Twitter)
Monica Seles Pays Tribute to Nikola Pilic
Of the many tributes that were shared for Pilic over the past few days, one that stands out is Monica Seles.
Selesa, who had a stellar career in her own right, winning nine Grand Slam titles and three tour finals, is someone Djokovic has looked up to since childhood.
When he was young and training under his ‘tennis mother’ Jelena Gencic, Djokovic did everything he could to emulate the training of Seles, whom Gencic had also worked with.
At the US Open this year, Seles notably sat in Djokovic’s player box after the 24-time Grand Slam champ teased a potential coaching partnership.
In a post on her Instagram story this week, Seles paid tribute to Pilic:
“Remembering Nikki Pilic, a tennis legend whose incredible talent and sportsmanship inspired me and my dad so much. His contributions to the sport will never be forgotten, and he will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Nikki.”
@MonicaSeles10s – Instagram storyMonica Seles pays tribute to Nikola Pilic.
Davis Cup Pays Tribute to Nikola Pilic
Another notable tribute to Nikola Pilic was shared by the Davis Cup’s official page.
Back in 2010, after captaining four Davis Cup teams to titles, Pilic began serving as an advisor to the Serbian team.
Heading into the tournament, the players had a bet. If they won, they would all shave their heads.
Pilic then decided to join them, as seen in the photos shared by the Davis Cup on Tuesday.
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