Jelena Dokic draws widespread praise as Australian public learns of 'horrific' new details

The Australian tennis star's documentary aired on national TV for the first time on Wednesday night.

Jelena Dokic is being praised for her bravery and courage around the tennis community and wider Australian public after her documentary aired on national TV for the first time on Wednesday night. The Aussie tennis star's documentary 'Unbreakable', which was adapted from her 2017 memoir of the same name, aired in cinemas late last year and shocked with some of its awful revelations.

But on Wednesday night it was shown on Channel 9 and reached a much wider audience, sparking a flood of messages on social media commending Dokic for shining a light on some of the horrific treatment she received at the hands of father Damir. Dokic reached World No.4 and looked to have the world at her feet early in her career, but she was doing it all in spite of physical and mental abuse from father and coach Damir.

Jelena Dokic with Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open.
Jelena Dokic has overcome some horrific abuse to become the person she is today. Image: AAP

One of the most shocking incidents the doco delves into was when Dokic was knocked unconscious when Damir kicked her in the head after a loss. “I remember he was so mad that he goes into the bathroom with me, locks the door, and he beat the crap out of me,” Jelena says. “He slammed my head against the wall multiple times. He was kicking me. My shins were so bruised, I couldn’t walk. He actually punches me in the head. And then I went unconscious for a little bit. He also stepped on my head as well.”

Jelena Dokic, pictured here with father Damir at Wimbledon in 1999.
Jelena Dokic with father Damir at Wimbledon in 1999. (AP Photo/Jytte Nielsen)

Dokic, who is now a beloved analyst and commentator, is now estranged from her father and hasn't spoken to him for 10 years. At the height of her career he made her turn her back on Australia and switch allegiances to Yugoslavia, which saw her booed at the Australian Open by fans who thought it was her decision.

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Dokic was born in Croatia when it was still part of Yugoslavia, but moved to Australia with her family at age 11. She won the US Open junior girls title in 1998 while representing Australia, and teamed up with Mark Philippoussis to win the Hopman Cup in 1999 as a 15-year-old.

Jelena Dokic's parents in the crowd during a match at Wimbledon in 1999.
Jelena Dokic's parents (top right) watch on from the crowd at Wimbledon in 1999. (Photo by MARTYN HAYHOW/AFP via Getty Images)

But Damir forced her to turn her back on her adopted country, which left her heartbroken. She was booed at the Australian Open when the news was made public, and Dokic previously stated she'd "take 100 years of abuse" if she could go back and reverse the decision.

"In 2001 when I had to switch from playing from Australia to Yugoslavia within 24 hours of walking on Rod Laver Arena. I was literally between two fires," she said previously. "My father here, if I didn't go and say it in a media conference that was called on suddenly, when I came back to the hotel room, who knows, probably wouldn't have survived that beating. Or here, I had the media, sponsors, public who were going to hammer me like they did. So what do you do?

"So of course, I did that. 24 hours later, you walk out and you are on Rod Laver Arena, 15,000 people booing you, everyone writing that you're a traitor, and you're a 17-year-old who loves Australia so much. I loved representing this country. I come from a different culture. I was born in a different country, but I came here when I was 11. I absolutely loved Australia."

Dokic played Fed Cup for Serbia and Montenegro in 2004, but switched her allegiance back to Australia the following year. She had a 14-3 record in Fed Cup and produced many famous victories for Australia.

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"I came back a few years later. Yes, I was accepted, but it was never the same, until my book came out and until now," she said. "And now people understand it and see so it's also really good lesson on kindness. You never know what's going on, especially with children behind closed doors with their parents."

Wednesday night's screening of the doco brought some of the horrific details to the wider public for the first time. On social media, people expressed their shock at some of the treatment Dokic had to endure, but also praised her incredible bravery and strength to overcome it and become the person she is today.

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