Jelena Dokic is seen for the first time since announcing the death of her abusive father as she jets into Brisbane

Daily Mail​

25-05-2025

Jelena Dokic is seen for the first time since announcing the death of her abusive father as she jets into Brisbane
READ MORE: Jelena Dokic cuddles up to mystery man at Melbourne Airport
Jelena Dokic has stepped out for the first time since revealing that her estranged dad Damir Dokic has died.
The Australian tennis legend turned commentator, 42, was seen jetting into Brisbane Airport on Friday, just two days after announcing that her father had passed away.
The sports commentator was dressed casually in black pants, a jumper and a white jacket as she waited by the carousel.
She completed her look with a pair of white sneakers and wore large headphones as she walked through the airport.
Jelena tied her locks up as she made her way to an awaiting car.
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Jelena Dokic has stepped out for the first time since revealing that her estranged dad Damir Dokic has died
The Australian tennis legend turned commentator was seen jetting into Brisbane Airport on Friday, just two days after announcing her father had passed away
The one-time world No. 4 took to social media on Wednesday to reveal in a lengthy and emotional post that her 67-year-old father had passed away.
Jelena suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of her father who was also her tennis coach early on in her career.
'As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history,' she began.
'Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father even one you are estranged from.
'The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief.'
Jelena admitted she had conflicting and complex emotions as she shared a childhood photo of her as a little girl cuddling up to her dad, who she hadn't spoken to in 10 years.
'For the end of this chapter, I choose to focus on a good memory like this picture,' she continued.
'And as always and especially important to who I am as a person and what I want to stand for which is respect, grace, kindness, dignity and empathy, I will and want to be that person in this situation too.'
The sports commentator was dressed casually in black pants, a jumper and a white jacket
She completed her look with a pair of white sneakers for the flight
Jelena tied her locks up as she made her way to an awaiting car
The tennis star ended the post with 'RIP'.
Damir and his wife Ljiljana had Jelena in 1983 and later their son Salvo. The family moved from Croatia to Australia when Jelena was 11 years old.
Jelena suffered abuse at the hands of her father from the age of six when she took up tennis, with the abuse continuing as she flew up the ranks as a teenage prodigy.
She was widely lauded for her bravery and courage in the Channel Nine documentary Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, adapted from her 2017 memoir of the same name.
Jelena recalled how she felt pressure to win as Damir would inflict regular beatings.
'I'm 16 years old here. I was playing the No. 1 Martina Hingis and I knew if I lost the consequences were catastrophic,' she said while watching footage of herself play.
'One day after I lost I knew what was going to happen... I was starting to feel really broken inside.
'There was not an inch of skin that wasn't bruised. I'm 17 and through his actions, [I] became the most hated person.'
The tennis star wore large headphones as she walked through the airport
At one point, Jelena was seen waiting by the carousel for her bags
She took to social media on Wednesday to reveal in a lengthy and emotional post that her 67-year-old father had passed away
In one of the most shocking accounts, she detailed her father kicking her head until she lost consciousness after she lost a match.
Over the years, Damir's angry temperament was evident on several occasions, including when he lost his temper at the US Open cafeteria over the price of fish.
He also broke a female reporter's phone at Wimbledon.
In 2009, he was jailed for 15 months after threatening to blow up the Australian ambassador to Serbia and illegal possession of weapons.
After speaking out on the abuse, Jelena opened up on the last time she spoke to him over 10 years ago.
Speaking on Nova 100's 'Jase & Lauren' radio show in Melbourne, she said: 'I don't think we even really fought that very last time.
'It was the fact that you realise that, and this might sound extreme, but it is for people that either grow up without parents or parents that are not supportive, is the fact that you realise someone just doesn't have your back, and that your parents actually don't love you.'
Jelena said she 'had to draw a line in the sand' with her 'toxic' father.
Jelena suffered abuse at the hands of her father from the age of six when she took up tennis, with the abuse continuing as she flew up the ranks as a teenage prodigy
She was widely lauded for her bravery and courage in the Channel Nine documentary Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, adapted from her 2017 memoir of the same name
Jelena recalled how she felt pressure to win as Damir would inflict regular beatings
Over the years, Damir's angry temperament was evident on several occasions, including when he lost his temper at the US Open cafeteria over the price of fish
Last November, she told the Telegraph she felt 'incredible freedom' having told her story.
'It gave me a voice. It gave me the power to reclaim my life. I've never been happier,' she said.
'I was not silenced for the very first time in my life. And incredible freedom comes with that.'
She admitted while she may never forgive her father, she didn't 'hate' him.
'I don't blame anyone. I don't resent anyone. I definitely don't hate anyone, never would,' Jelena told the Daily Telegraph.
'I'm not bitter about it. Even to my father, which people find surprising. But I don't hate him. I don't necessarily forgive him, but I don't hate him.'