Nikola Pilić, Tennis Legend and Djokovic’s Mentor, Passes Away
ZAGREB, Croatia – The tennis world mourns the loss of Nikola Pilić, an iconic figure who left an indelible mark on the sport. Pilić, known for being the first captain to lead three countries to Davis Cup glory, passed away at the age of 86.
The Croatian Tennis Association confirmed Pilić’s passing last Monday. His legacy extends from his achievements as a player to his impact as a coach and mentor to some of the most prominent tennis players.
Pilić was the singles runner-up at the French Open in 1973, and his name was linked to the Wimbledon boycott of that same year.
Yugoslav tennis authorities accused him of refusing to participate in a Davis Cup match against New Zealand. Although Pilić denied the accusation, he was suspended. The International Tennis Federation (now ITF) backed the decision and reduced his suspension to one month, which included Wimbledon.
Due to the support of the new Association of Tennis Professionals, 12 of the 16 top seeds and a total of 81 players boycotted Wimbledon.
Pilić was already an established star when tennis turned professional in 1968. When American businessman Lamar Hunt backed a new professional tour called World Championship Tennis, figures like Pilić, John Newcombe, and Tony Roche were the first eight male players to be signed, known as the “Handsome Eight”.
Pilić won nine individual titles and reached number 6 in the world ranking. He lost the French Open final to Ilie Nastase. His six doubles titles included the 1970 US Open alongside Pierre Barthes, where they defeated Newcombe and Rod Laver in a four-set final.
After retiring as a player in 1978, Pilić dedicated himself to technical direction, achieving triumphs in the Davis Cup as a non-playing captain with Germany (Boris Becker, 1988, 1989, 1993), Croatia (2005) and Serbia (2010).
Future stars like Michael Stich, Goran Ivanisevic, and Djokovic, who considered him his mentor, passed through his academy near Munich.
