Mark Philippoussis marks death of dad Nick

Tennis great Mark Philippoussis has quietly buried his father, Nick, with a no-frills headstone placed on a grave at Bellbrae cemetery.

Mark Philippoussis with his wife Silvana.

Australian tennis great Mark Philippoussis has quietly buried his late father, Nick, down on the Surf Coast.

A no-frills headstone for Nick Philippoussis sits on a grave at Bellbrae cemetery near where Mark and his model wife Silvana and family live in Jan Juc.

Nick Philippoussis coached “The Scud” who was nicknamed after the missile deployed in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 because of his tremendous serve.

He also had the more Aussie moniker “Poo” in the noughties when he won the deciding matches in two Davis Cups and reached the finals of the US Open and Wimbledon.

Nick Philippoussis’ headstone at Bellbrae Cemetery. Picture: Supplied

Philippoussis and his father Nick in 1993.

Nick Philippoussis was jailed in the US where he faced a maximum sentence of life in prison on charges of sexual assault of children.

He was held at San Diego County Jail after his shock arrest in a morning raid on his home in 2017.

Four months later the then 68-year-old suffered a massive stroke in jail, leaving him in a “catatonic state.”

The charges were dropped and the case dismissed after a judge deemed him “completely incapacitated”.

The Davis Cup champion talked about his father and family when competing on survival reality show SAS Australia last year, saying he worried he let his parents down after they sacrificed so much for him.

“Family’s my world. It’s my priority, my everything” said Philippoussis.

“I had a dream to become a professional tennis player and my family put everything on the line.

Philippoussis spoke about his father and family on SAS Australia. Picture: Jeremy Grieve

“My father had a good job in the bank business and quit because he said he wanted to help me fulfil my dreams.

“So he let go of his dreams and I worked very hard and I was lucky enough to fulfil my dreams,” said Philippoussis.

“And the good news was that I could take care of my family so they don’t have to work again. My father or mother didn’t have to work.”

Philippoussis said “everything stopped” because of injuries.

The Poo was known for his lavish lifestyle in the US where he famously paid $100,000 for a Dodge Viper because he didn’t want to get a taxi home.

He sold the car the next day.

All that has changed since meeting model turned author wife Silvana and relocating to the Surf Coast with their two young children.

The couple founded fashion label As We Create, which is stocked at Myer.

It’s understood Nick Philippoussis died earlier this year of health complications following his stroke.

Mark Philippoussis is overseas playing an exhibition event and did not want to comment on his father’s death.