Damir Dokic, the father and former coach of Australian tennis player and commentator Jelena Dokic, has passed away. Jelena announced her father’s death on social media, revealing that he died on May 16.
Jelena has been open about her experiences of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father in the past. However, in light of his death, she expressed her intention to remember the positive aspects of their relationship. She acknowledged the complicated nature of grief when losing a parent, particularly one with whom she had a strained relationship.
In her message, Jelena reflected on the difficulties they faced, stating, “My relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history.” She went on to highlight that, despite their challenging interactions and a decade of minimal communication, losing a parent is always a profoundly emotional experience.
She described the grief associated with the death of an estranged parent as complex and filled with conflicting emotions, noting the end of a significant chapter in her life. Jelena concluded by emphasising the tumultuous feelings that come with such a loss, indicating that her journey through grief would be distinctly multifaceted, shaped by their complicated history.