Croatian Tennis Legend Nikola Pilic Who Helped Djokovic Dies Aged 87

Croatian tennis great Nikola Pilic, a former player and coach who helped guide multiple nations to Davis Cup victories, has died at the age of 87, the Croatian Tennis Association announced on Tuesday.

Pilic passed away on Monday in the town of Opatija, western Croatia.

Described by the association as “one of the greatest players and coaches Croatian tennis has ever had,” Pilic had a long and successful career in the sport, both on and off the court.

A Champion On Court

Pilic began his tennis journey in Split in 1953, and by 1957, he was already playing for the Yugoslav youth national team.

He went on to become a five-time Yugoslav singles champion (1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967), winning seven doubles titles and one mixed doubles title as well.

His biggest individual success came in 1973, when he reached the French Open final, but lost to Ilie Nastase.
He also won the US Open doubles title in 1970 with French partner Pierre Barthes.

A Legendary Coach

After retiring from playing, Pilic became a top coach, working with tennis stars such as Goran Ivanisevic, Michael Stich, and Boris Becker.

He also played a key role in the early development of Novak Djokovic, who once called him his “tennis dad.”
In 1999, Djokovic’s first coach Jelena Gencic sent the young player to Pilic’s academy in Munich, where he continued to grow into one of the game’s greatest.

A Davis Cup Leader

Pilic made history as the only captain to lead three different nations to Davis Cup victories:

• Germany in 1988, 1989, and 1993

• Croatia in 2005

• Serbia in 2010

Honours and Recognition

In 2019, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Croatian Tennis Association.

A year later, Serbia awarded him the Gold Medal of Merit for his outstanding contribution to sport.

Nikola Pilic leaves behind a lasting legacy in world tennis – as a champion, a coach, and a mentor to some of the game’s greatest names.