Venue: Loughborough University Tennis Centre Dates: 29 Nov-3 Dec
Coverage: Watch live across Connected TV, the BBC Sport website and mobile app.
BBC Sport brings you coverage of the 2017 Wheelchair Tennis Masters from Wednesday, 29 November to Sunday, 3 December.
Great Britain’s world number two and French Open champion Alfie Hewett, reigning Paralympic men’s singles champion Gordon Reid and double Paralympic bronze medallist Lucy Shuker are among the 22 players from 11 nations taking part in the season-ending event.
Andy Cotterill and Andy Lapthorne have also qualified for the tournament, which takes place at Loughborough University Tennis Centre.
“It’s been a great season for me and I’m looking forward to trying to finish the year on a high,” said Hewett. “It’s always great to play in front of a good crowd and being a home event it means that little bit extra.”
Watch all the action live across Connected TV, the BBC Sport website and mobile app.
Nadal, Federer In Top 2 Year-End Emirates ATP Rankings For First Time Since 2010
Nov272017
Look back at the rankings highlights of the year
The ATP World Tour today published the 2017 year-end Emirates ATP Rankings on ATPWorldTour.com, after a memorable and exciting season that saw Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer finish in the Top 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the seventh time, the first since 2010.
In addition, there were three players finishing in the Top 5 for the first time since 2003. The new trio were No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov, who closed the season by capturing the Nitto ATP Finals in London, No. 4 Alexander Zverev and No. 5 Dominic Thiem. Dimitrov, Zverev, No. 7 David Goffin, No. 8 Jack Sock and No. 10 Pablo Carreno Busta finished in the year-end Top 10 for the first time. The five first-time additions in the year-end Top 10 is the most since 1997.
The Top 10 of 2017 1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) – No. 1 for fourth time (2008, 2010, 2013, 2017) and oldest (31) year-end No. 1 continuing 14 years of ‘Big 4’ dominance at the top of Emirates ATP Rankings (2004-17) 2. Roger Federer (SUI) – Oldest (36) to finish No. 2 and record 11th time in year-end Top 2 (five times at No. 1, six times at No. 2) 3. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) – Jumps from No. 17 in 2016 and first player with maiden Top 10 finish at No. 3 since Djokovic in 2007 4. Alexander Zverev (GER) – Youngest (20) in year-end Top 4 since Djokovic at No. 3 in 2007 and first German in year-end Top 10 since No. 6 Rainer Schuettler in 2003 5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) – Second straight year in Top 10 and first Austrian in year-end Top 5 since No. 5 Thomas Muster in 1996 6. Marin Cilic (CRO) – No. 6 for second straight year and third Top 10 finish in four years 7. David Goffin (BEL) – First Belgian in Top 10 with career-best 59 match wins (second-most in 2017 behind Nadal with 67) 8. Jack Sock (USA) – First American to finish in Top 10 since No. 8 Mardy Fish in 2011 and improved from No. 23 in 2016 9. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) – Finishes in Top 10 for fifth year in a row and second-oldest (32) of three players 30 & over in Top 10 10. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) – Improves from No. 30 in 2016, biggest jump in Top 10 (20 places) like Zverev
View Full 2017 Year-End Emirates ATP Rankings
2017 Year-End Emirates ATP Rankings Quick Facts
* For the second year in a row France leads all countries with 10 players in the Top 100 (including six in the Top 50), followed by the United States with nine (the most since 2011) and Germany and Spain both with eight. Spain has the most in the Top 50 with seven).
* For a record seventh time Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer finish in the Top 2, the most by any duo in the history of the Emirates ATP Rankings (since 1973). Prior to this season they finished in the Top 2 from 2005-2010.
* Nadal, who ended last year No. 9, becomes the first player since Andy Roddick in 2003, to finish No. 1 from outside the Top 5 the previous season. Roddick was No. 10 in 2002 before finishing No. 1 the following season.
* Federer, who climbs from No. 16 last year to No. 2, finishes in the Top 10 for the 15th time in 16 years. Federer becomes the first player since Nadal to jump from outside the Top 10 to No. 2 the following year. Nadal went from No. 51 in 2004 to No. 2 in 2005. Federer trails Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors, who both have a record 16 year-end Top 10 finishes.
* Serbian Filip Krajinovic makes the biggest jump (203 spots) in the Top 50 from No. 237 at the end of 2016 to a year-end ranking of No. 34.
* #NextGenATP teenager Denis Shapovalov finishes a year-end best No. 51. The 18-year-old Canadian is the youngest of three teenagers to finish in the Top 100 along with and No. 79 Frances Tiafoe (19) of the U.S and No. 91 Stefanos Tsitsipas (19) of Greece. Tsitsipas is the first Greek man to finish in the Top 100. Overall 10 #NextGen players (21 & under) are in the Top 100 year-end rankings, the most since 12 in 2008.
* Ivo Karlovic, 38, is the oldest in the Top 100 at No. 80 and one of a record 43 players aged 30 & over in the year-end Top 100.
* No. 4 Alexander Zverev and No. 33 Mischa Zverev are the first brothers in the year-end Top 35 in singles since 1991 with No. 14 Emilio Sanchez and No. 32 Javier Sanchez.
* Brazilian Marcelo Melo finishes No. 1 in doubles for the second time in three years. He and partner Lukasz Kubot of Poland are No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings in their first season together.
* Sock (No. 8 singles, No. 39 doubles), Carreno Busta (No. 10 singles, No. 44 doubles), Pablo Cuevas (No. 32 singles, No. 21 doubles), Feliciano Lopez (No. 36 singles, No. 24 doubles) and Ryan Harrison (No. 47 singles, No.16 doubles) are the only five players who ended the year in Top 50 of both singles and doubles.
The 2018 ATP World Tour season begins Sunday 31 December in Brisbane (Monday 1 January in Doha and Pune).
The 2017 ATP World Tour season was full of thrilling moments, classic matches, and plenty of memories that nobody will forget anytime soon. Over the course of the next month, ATPWorldTour.com will take fans through the very best of those moments.
We will recap the premier rivalries of 2017, the best matches from the ATP World Tour, the greatest matches from the Grand Slams, the most stunning upsets, retirements and more. Look for new content each day as we reflect on a great year and count down to the start of the 2018 season, which begins 31 December in Brisbane (and 1 January in Doha and Pune).
Millman Marches To Hua Hin Title In Final Week Of Season
Nov272017
Revisit the week that was on the ATP Challenger Tour as we applaud the achievements of those on the rise and look ahead to who’s in action in the week to come
A LOOK BACK EA Hua Hin Open Challenger (Hua Hin, Thailand): One of the biggest storylines of the year has been the success of players returning from injury. Filip Krajinovic, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Matthew Ebden and Nicolas Jarry all stole the headlines with impressive ATP Challenger Tour campaigns. Add John Millman to that list. The Aussie claimed his first Challenger crown in two years, and ninth of his career, with a ruthless run to the title in Hua Hin. Millman did not drop a set all week, including a 6-2, 6-2 victory in the final over countryman Andrew Whittington.
Former World No. 60 Millman is on the rise after returning to the circuit in May, following groin surgery at the start of the season. The Tecnifibre player would fall out of the Top 200 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, but is surging in his comeback. He finishes the 2017 season at No. 128, up 37 spots with the title on Thai soil. The 28-year-old Aussie was also a finalist in Lexington, U.S.A. and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in addition to a run to the third round at the US Open in early September.
Bengaluru Open (Bangalore, India): It was a fight to the finish for 20-year-old Sumit Nagal, who edged British teen Jay Clarke 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 for his maiden ATP Challenger Tour title in Bengaluru. India’s #NextGenATP star is well on his way to breaking into the Top 200 after soaring 96 spots to a career-high No. 225 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The sky’s the limit for Nagal, who has no points to defend until May. His victory marks the second in as many weeks for the surging Indian contingent, following Yuki Bhambri’s title in nearby Pune.
You May Also Like: India Builds Momentum With Challenger Success
Rio Tennis Classic (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): Fourth seed Carlos Berlocq heads into the offseason on a high, after clinching his first title of the season. Berlocq lifted the trophy in Rio de Janeiro after Spain’s Jaume Munar retired down 6-3, 2-6, 3-0 in Sunday’s final. It was Berlocq’s 18th crown on the Challenger circuit, drawing level with Go Soeda for fourth on the all-time list. Only Yen-Hsun Lu (29), Dudi Sela (22) and Paolo Lorenzi (19) have more triumphs.
.@charlyberlocq rolls in Rio, lifting his first #ATPChallenger ? of 2017 on the final day of the season. pic.twitter.com/Axh2EmpV23
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 26, 2017
Andria Castel del Monte Challenger (Andria, Italy): The indoor hard court event in Andria has been a staple of the final week of the season since 2013. Uladzimir Ignatik claimed its fifth edition on Sunday, defeating Belgian qualifier Christopher Heyman in what was the final match of the season on the ATP Challenger Tour. Ignatik took a gripping encounter in a deciding tie-break, prevailing 6-7(3), 6-4, 7-6(3) in two hours and eight minutes. With his second title of the season, Ignatik extended Belarus’ perfect record in finals this year to 6-0. Egor Gerasimov (3-0) and Ilya Ivashka (1-0) also prevailed in 2017.
Meanwhile, Heyman was the surprise story of the week in reaching the final in his first career Challenger main draw. The qualifier had upset home hope Andrea Arnaboldi, second seed and 2014 champion Ricardas Berankis, eighth seed Zdenek Kolar and third seed Mirza Basic, before nearly toppling Ignatik.
Uladzimir Ignatik is the champion in Andria, taking his second #ATPChallenger title of the season, 67(3) 64 76(3) over Heyman.
?? finishes 2017 with a perfect 6-0 mark in finals pic.twitter.com/ya6e619YBl
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 26, 2017
A LOOK AHEAD We’ll see you in 2018! The ATP Challenger Tour is on a one-month hiatus, before returning with a trio of events beginning 1 January – Noumea, New Caledonia; Playford, Australia; Bangkok, Thailand.
Beginning our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Roger Federer vs. Juan Martin del Potro:
Roger Federer’s rivalries with his ‘Big Four’ brethren Rafael Nadal (15-23), Novak Djokovic (22-23) and Andy Murray (14-11) are celebrated as some of the best in the game’s history. Somewhat less appreciated is his compelling FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Juan Martin Del Potro. The Argentine is one of a handful of players who, when at his best, has the firepower to overcome Federer’s genius and it’s must-see TV when Del Potro uncorks his forehand and plays go-for-broke tennis against the man many argue is the greatest player of all time.
Despite a lopsided 18-6 record in the Swiss’ favour, nine of their past 11 meetings have gone the distance, with a 10th (this year’s US Open quarter-final) going to four sets. In 2017, the pair met four times, with Federer claiming three victories. Yet it was Del Potro’s lone victory at the US Open that proved most consequential of all.
Having not played since late 2013, due in no small measure to Del Potro’s horror run with wrist injuries, the Swiss and Argentine resumed their rivalry after a 3 1/2 year hiatus in the heat and humidity of the Miami Open presented by Itaú in late March. Federer won his 15th match of 16 played to start the season by a relatively straightforward 6-3, 6-4 margin, saving all five break points he faced. That gave him what was at the time a 16-5 career advantage over the ‘Tower of Tandil’.
The Swiss didn’t stop there, though. Two matches later, he’d save two match points against Tomas Berdych, before sneaking by a game Nick Kyrgios in an intense third-set tie-break in the semi-finals. And after taking out Rafael Nadal in straight sets to claim the title, Federer seemed an unstoppable force. He swept the year’s first three ‘Big Titles’ — a Grand Slam (Australian Open) and two ATP World Tour Masters 1000s (Indian Wells, Miami) — for just the second time in his career (2006). All of a sudden, after starting the season at No. 16 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, a return to the top spot for the first time since 2012 was realistic.
Five months would go by without Federer taking on Del Potro, but this year’s US Open was just another example of why their rivalry is one of the most interesting matchups of this generation.
At first, it looked like they wouldn’t play in Flushing Meadows at all. The visibly ill Del Potro was down two quick sets against sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem in the US Open’s fourth round, and it was the Austrian who appeared destined to confront Federer in the final eight. But somehow with a raucous crowd behind him, Del Potro found new life, saved two match points in the fourth set, and battled back for the victory.
He couldn’t possibly have anything left for the Swiss in the quarter-finals, could he?
Federer had too much going for him. The second seed was 40-3 on the season going into the match, with titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Looming in the next round was Rafael Nadal, whom he had never played at the US Open, and fans were begging for the matchup.
Del Potro was still ill, and had just played a grueling five-setter — forget that he trailed Federer 5-16 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry at the time.
But Del Potro has always found his best on the big stage against Federer. That is how he came back from two sets to one down against the five-time champion to win his lone Grand Slam in 2009 at the US Open on the very same court. That is how he led Federer 3-1 in finals at the time. That is also how he had won two of the pair’s three meetings at the Nitto ATP Finals.
“After eight years again in the central court of this tournament. I know how to play if I want to win,” Del Potro said, remembering his victory in 2009. “But I will see how physically I feel after this battle. But always it’s a pleasure to play the greatest guy in history.”
Del Potro found his top level again in September, lashing out at his trademark forehand against Federer, who was not in peak form, to win the match 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(8), 6-4.
On paper, it was Del Potro’s fourth Grand Slam semi-final. But it meant so much more than that as it was a loss of great consequence for the third seed. If Federer had advanced to the final four against Nadal, the winner of that match would have left New York with the No. 1 spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings — the Swiss hadn’t stood atop tennis’ mountain since 2012.
And given that Federer would go on to win all four of his matches against Nadal this year — dropping just two sets — the No. 1 ranking and a possible third Grand Slam in 2017 was not out of the question.
Instead, Del Potro soared from 47th in the Emirates ATP Race To London before the tournament right into the heat of the battle, despite losing to Nadal in the next round.
And while Federer’s US Open loss was a brutal blow to his No. 1 hopes, the 36-year-old would get chances to pay back the Argentine.
They would meet again in the penultimate ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event of the season at the Shanghai Rolex Masters. At stake was another Federer-Nadal clash — this time in the final — while Del Potro was desperate to maintain his momentum as he pursued a return to The O2. But a scary fall on his wrist against Viktor Troicki made it unclear if he would play at all.
Del Potro would take the court and he showed few ill effects early in the semi-finals against Federer, taking the first set in commanding fashion.
But Federer would win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and go on to triumph at the event, once again beating Nadal. He also captured his third Masters 1000 trophy of the year, just the second time he had done that since 2007.
“[It’s] very painful now after the match, after the big effort it’s the worst moment for my wrist,” Del Potro said. “But they say I don’t have any risk playing this match, so that’s why I played.”
Yet Del Potro’s wrist did not keep him from staying in the Race hunt.
Soon after, they would meet again at Federer’s hometown event in Basel, where Del Potro was the only person to beat Federer since 2009, doing so in 2012 and 2013. Federer would win another three-set thriller 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 in the final, to claim his eighth title at the Swiss Indoors Basel. It was the continuation of an incredible year for Federer and a resurgent close to the season for Del Potro.
“You’ve been on a great run since the US Open and before,” Federer said. “I’m very happy to see you playing so well again.”
Del Potro had a chance in Paris to clinch an unlikely London qualification. But he would fall one victory short of the Nitto ATP Finals at the Rolex Paris Masters, losing in the quarter-finals against John Isner in what was a ‘win-and-in’ match. However, his magical run from the start of the US Open through the end of the season showed that the Argentine is closing in on top form once again. Now ranked No. 11 in the world with no ranking points to defend until the end of February, Del Potro is primed for a return to the Top 10.
Sure, Federer may have beaten Del Potro in three of their four meetings this year to add to his already lopsided margin over the 29-year-old. But Del Potro’s one victory at the US Open had the biggest impract, proving a key obstacle in Federer’s chase for the No. 1 ranking while propelling Del Potro to a fantastic close to his season.
Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com revisits the fiercest rivalries of 2017. Today we feature Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal:
Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal… Five words that evoke memories of some of the most thrilling matches and jaw-dropping moments in ATP World Tour history.
It is one of the greatest rivalries of all time, but, with both players recovering from injury as the curtain drew on the 2016 season, there were doubts of its renewal going forward. Their streak of 12 consecutive seasons with at least one encounter had come to a halt, and it was looking improbable that the drama would be rekindled with the same gripping intensity.
Would a new chapter be written in 2017? Not even Federer and Nadal could have predicted such a dramatic flip of the script. As the calendar turned to the new year, both players rediscovered their vintage form behind resurgent campaigns. Fans across the sporting world would not be disappointed as the rivalry was renewed in earnest. Not just once or twice, but on four occasions and with a trophy at stake in three of them.
View FedEx ATP Head2Head
A catalogue of pulsating clashes had marked their FedEx ATP Head2Head series over the years and they wasted no time in January, kicking off the season with a five-set classic in the Australian Open final. Eight years after they last squared off for the title at Melbourne Park – won by Nadal in five sets – Federer would exact his revenge. The Swiss recovered from a 1-3 deficit in the decider to capture his 18th Grand Slam championship and fifth Down Under. The two gladiators left the left the capacity crowd on Rod Laver Arena on the edge of their seats for three hours and 38 minutes.
The drama could not have been more palpable, with Federer trailing their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 23-11 to enter the year, including five losses in their previous six encounters. But a seismic shift would ensue in 2017 and their Melbourne meeting would set the tone for the year to come. Federer put an authoritative stamp on the rivalry with a significant change in tactics. The Swiss soared behind an offensive assault, predicated on his serve and a fearless backhand barrage, while Nadal was unable to effectively adjust his own gameplan.
Traditionally, Nadal had owned Federer’s backhand with his curling lefty serve and forehand, but the Swiss turned that vulnerability into a weapon. With new coach Ivan Ljubicic, he refused to press or hesitate from the baseline, rather swinging through his backhand for stunning winners. Federer had accumulated six backhand winners in the first four sets of the Aussie Open final, but he crushed eight in the decider.
“I’m out of words,” said Federer, a 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 winner. “I’d like to congratulate Rafa on an amazing comeback. There are no draws in tennis, but I would have been very happy to accept one and share it with Rafa tonight.”
With a bigger frame and fewer shanks, the 2017 version of Federer’s backhand proved to be like nothing Nadal had ever seen. He refused to be bullied by Nadal’s fearsome forehand and took every opportunity to step inside the baseline and go on offense, hitting a steady stream of clean winners to all corners of the court.
Federer and Nadal would jockey for position atop the Emirates ATP Race To London throughout the season and it was the Swiss who continued to make an immediate statement in the first quarter. A pair of straight-set victories at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami would see Federer take command of the rivarly, en route to securing the Sunshine Double.
Federer defeated Nadal 6-2, 6-3 in the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open, before eventually clinching his fifth trophy at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It marked the first time he had taken three straight meetings in their rivalry. And another clash would ensue just two weeks later, as Federer and Nadal battled for the Miami Open presented by Itau title. Same match-up and same result. The Basel native extended his run of dominance with a 6-3, 6-4 victory, cementing a 19-1 start to the season.
Federer would complete a perfect 4-0 season against his longtime rival, also adding a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the Shanghai Rolex Masters final – his 27th at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. One glance at the stat sheet tells the whole story. Federer broke down Nadal’s vaunted return game throughout the year with precision strikes on serve, claiming a combined 80 per cent of first serve points to Nadal’s 62 per cent. Quick service games put constant pressure on Nadal’s delivery and the Spaniard would concede 15 breaks, saving just 63 per cent of break points. Federer, meanwhile, turned aside 82 per cent of Nadal’s break chances.
But while Federer started stronger in 2017, it was Nadal who had the last laugh. The Spaniard is known for his relentless work ethic on the court and that was on full display throughout the remainder of the season, en route to claiming year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The 31-year-old denied Federer the top spot, despite the Swiss lifting a tour-leading seven trophies. A ruthless clay-court campaign in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid and Roland Garros, in addition to an impressive hard-court run at the US Open and China Open in Beijing, vaulted Nadal to No. 1.
“The year played out the way it did and Rafa was better,” Federer added. “He deserves to be there. I’m really happy for him because he had a rough season as well in 2016. It’s great for him.”
As the spotlight grew and the drama built to a gripping crescendo in 2017, both stars raised their games to new heights. Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev may have staked their claim for a changing of the guard atop the ATP World Tour, but Federer and Nadal have refused to concede their mantles just yet.
“He won two Grand Slams, a few Masters 1000s and is second in the Race with a lot of points, so he played well for the whole season,” Nadal said about Federer. “He played very high level of tennis during the whole season, so well done for him and I’m happy to see him play well.”
Jelena Dokic’s successes during her 16-year tennis career came at a heavy personal price, she says.
The Yugoslavia-born Australian was once ranked fourth in the world, and reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2000, but she claims she suffered years of mental and physical abuse from her father Damir, who coached her from an early age.
Dokic has alleged she was whipped with a leather belt and kicked in the shins if she did not train well, and that she was regularly left bruised and bloodied.
Now 34 and a coach herself, she has released a book and has told BBC World Service’s Sportshour programme about name-calling, being evicted from her hotel and having suicidal thoughts.
‘I hid in the players’ lounge after Wimbledon’
Dokic had a normal relationship with her father until she started playing tennis at the age of six. Then almost immediately the verbal, emotional and physical abuse started. But despite it all, she managed to establish herself in the professional ranks and beat world number one Martina Hingis at Wimbledon in 1999, aged 16, and reached the semi-finals in 2000. She lost to Lindsay Davenport in the last four.
That should have been one of the great highlights, but after the match my father thought I was a disgrace and an embarrassment and didn’t allow me to come back to the hotel.
I had to stay at Wimbledon in the players’ lounge that afternoon and that evening and try to sleep there. I hid on a couch hoping no-one was going to find me, but the cleaners did at 11pm. The referee was called and I had to find somewhere else to sleep for the night – no money, no credit card, nothing.
‘The media thought it was funny’
Dokic’s father was banned from all women’s tour events for six months in 2000 after he became abusive in the players’ lounge during the US Open over the size of his portion of salmon. Earlier in the year, he wrapped himself in a flag of St George at Wimbledon, began shouting at spectators and smashed a journalist’s phone.
People saw what my dad was like, how he was behaving – we all know the incidents at Wimbledon, US Open, Australian Open. And based on that alone, you would think that some people would maybe come up to you and just ask you how you were doing. Just a kind word would have been enough – but it didn’t happen.
And I also didn’t understand the media, because everything that he was doing was seen as funny and a joke. The incident at Wimbledon with the flag, and the US Open. He was the punchline and a headline, but a funny one. It wasn’t funny because a 14 or 15-year-old girl was going home with this person.
Around the same time, Dokic switched allegiance from Australia to Yugoslavia (now Serbia), her father’s homeland. It resulted in a barrage of criticism from those in her adopted homeland.
That wasn’t my decision at all. I love Australia, and I was really grateful to the country for giving me what I got when I came as a refugee as an 11-year-old. I loved playing for Australia and I felt completely Australian – he took that away from me. I was only 17. I was made to do that and show that publicly which was completely not me.
‘He constantly made me feel worthless’
In the book, Dokic has told how she left home in the middle of the night with just a suitcase and her racquet bag a couple of months after signing all her earnings over to her father. She says she was prevented from speaking to her younger brother for several years – reconciling in 2008 – and considered killing herself.
It wasn’t about power, it was for me more a way out because I felt like I was letting a lot of people down. I did leave my brother behind and he was eight years younger, about 11 years old, and I had a lot of guilt and that was kind of the way my dad made me feel – he didn’t let me talk to my brother for about five years, six years, so it was very, very hard on me.
I had this guilt about whether I did the right thing and he constantly made me feel worthless, I lost a lot of confidence and self-esteem and even when I left home, he still put me through hell and really made life difficult.
I just felt everybody would be better off if I wasn’t here. All I wanted was to have a normal life and to be able to play tennis in peace.
‘I don’t speak to my father’
In 2009, Damir Dokic was jailed for threatening the Australian ambassador in Serbia with a hand grenade. The same year, Jelena Dokic returned to tennis having played only one Grand Slam between 2005 and 2008 as her ranking dropped to 621. She eventually retired in 2014. Despite her attempts, she and her dad are not in contact.
I did try to reconcile with him a few times over the years, and it just hasn’t been possible. It’s hard to communicate with someone who thinks they’ve done nothing wrong and has shown no remorse.
I’ve done absolutely everything that I possibly could have done for him and my family – when I left home I gave him all my money and continued to do so for years. But it got to a stage where it wasn’t about tennis anymore; it was about whether I was going to ever be able to live a normal life again after almost committing suicide.
I lived for almost 30 years in some kind of pain, so I think it was time to move on and look forward to the future. I’ve got a lot to be happy about and I just need to leave people behind that don’t have my best interests at heart.
Do I wish sometimes that I had a normal father and a normal family unit and support? Absolutely. But you can’t choose your parents and I’m kind of lucky to be here, luckier than most I still think.
The BBC was unable to reach Damir Dokic for a response.
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