‘Difficult and painful’: Jelena Dokic farewells estranged father

Damir Dokic, the controversial father and former coach of Jelena Dokic, has died, closing what she called a “difficult and painful” chapter.

Former tennis star Jelena Dokic has revealed her estranged father, Damir Dokic, has died.

In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday evening, Ms Dokic said the 67-year-old died last Friday, May 16.

“My father passed away in the late hours on 16.05.2025,” she wrote.

Damir Dokic, father of tennis player Jelena Dokic, in Serbia.

Damir Dokic was once a prominent figure in his daughter’s career but also made headlines for his abusive behaviour and outbursts, both publicly and behind the scenes.

Ms Dokic has spoken openly in recent years about the trauma she suffered growing up, including the physical and emotional abuse she endured at the hands of her father, which she detailed in her 2017 autobiography Unbreakable.

Ms Dokic said she has chosen to focus on a good memory “like this picture” in her post of Instagram.

Ms Dokic described their relationship as “difficult and painful”. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

In her post, the former world No.4 acknowledged the complexity of her grief.

“As you know, my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history,” she wrote.

“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.

“It’s an end of a chapter and life as I know it.”

Dokic has become a prominent mental health advocate and commentator since retiring from tennis, often using her platform to speak about resilience, recovery and overcoming trauma.