WTA: Alone at night in Wimbledon – Jelena Dokic tortured by terrorist father

It is the painful story of a young woman who has been tortured and humiliated by her violent father for years. Here you can read another episode from Jelena Dokic’s autobiography “Unbreakable”.

She was spat at, beaten and called a whore by her own father. Australia’s former tennis prodigy Jelena Dokic suffered a martyrdom that left indelible scars on her soul.

The former number four in the world was unable to escape reprisals even during her most successful sporting career. Father Damir had no mercy, not even reaching the semi-final in Wimbledon could satisfy the self-proclaimed Serbian veteran.

Instead of congratulating his daughter on her greatest success at a Grand Slam tournament, he punished the then 17-year-old with one of the worst nights of her life.”Actually it should have been one of the big highlights, but for my father the match was not more than a pitiful shame,”writes the tormented woman in her book.

It was traumatic experiences such as these that later triggered thoughts of suicide at Dokic:”I was not allowed to go back to the hotel and had to stay in the changing room. There I tried to get some sleep, but the cleaners discovered me on a couch. Then the people in charge were informed and I had to find another place to sleep for the night – without money, without a credit card, I had nothing.”

Dokic also struggled with the ban on contact with her eight-year younger brother. Father Damir ensured that the brothers and sisters were not allowed to talk to each other for more than five years,”I felt guilty. No matter what I did, he (Damir, Note) always made me feel worthless.”

Dokic longed for a normal life, just wanted to play tennis in peace “I felt like everyone would be better off without me. My father made me lose my self-esteem.”