Sep 12, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Novak Djokovic of Serbia is overcome with emotion against Daniil Medvedev of Russia (not pictured) in the men's singles final on day fourteen of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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Nikola Pilic Passes Away Aged 86 – All About Novak Djokovic’s Relationship With ‘Tennis Father’

Pilic coached Djokovic & Team Serbia to Davis Cup glory.

Croatian tennis legend Nikola Pilic, known for being a Grand Slam singles runner-up and doubles champion, has passed away at the age of 86. Moreover, the former Top-10 player had a close connection with 24-time major winner Novak Djokovic and his family. The Croatian Tennis Association announced that Pilic had breathed his last on Monday.

As a player, Pilic turned pro in 1968. He played for over a decade, winning nine career singles titles and six doubles trophies during his time. Having reached multiple Grand Slam finals across categories and taken Yugoslavia to the success podium at the international level, Pilic retired to enter the coaching space. This is where his equation with Djokovic took off.

Nikola Pilic, who has passed away Monday in Rijeka aged 86, left an indelible mark on the tennis world as a player, coach, captain and tournament director.

Read more about Pilic’s legacy 👇
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 24, 2025

When American businessman Lamar Hunt was designing a new professional tour called World Championship Tennis, the Croat was one of the few players who supported it and signed a deal to be a part of this breakaway idea. The likes of Pilic, John Newcombe and Tony Roche were among the ‘Handsome Eight’ who were signed.

What Was the Relationship Between Novak Djokovic and Nikola Pilic?

After retiring from professional tennis, Pilic played a massive role as a tennis coach. He led three different countries – Germany, Croatia, Serbia – to Davis Cup championships. The veteran was a tactical mastermind, and knew how to get the best out of his players. One of his protégés, Novak Djokovic, claimed two victories in the 2010 final, before Viktor Troicki completed the ultimate victory for Serbia in the deciding match-up.

Djokovic and Pilic maintained an off-court relationship, and constantly shared ideas and tips. Slowly but surely, they developed a close-knit bond where Pilic guided Djokovic like a parent. Back when the Croatian turned 80, the now 38-year-old paid tribute to him. “He and his wife Mija accepted Jelena Gencicf’s request for me to come to his academy in Germany when I was 12, even though he didn’t accept players under 14,” the Serbian former No. 1 wrote.

Nikola Pilić, who guided Novak Djokovic from his early days and led multiple nations to Davis Cup glory, has passed away at 86.https://t.co/2u1tVrsog7
— TENNIS (@Tennis) September 23, 2025

“He had one of the best European tennis academies at the time. Mija and Niki treated me as their own child and did the same for my two younger brothers. My family will always remember that.” Djokovic went on to talk about Pilic’s continued love for the game, before concluding, “Niki is one of the most important tennis and life mentors I’ve had. I am eternally grateful Mija and Niki for everything you have done for me and my family.”

(Image Credits: Danielle Parhizkaran, Imagn Images)

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Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.