In the world of professional tennis, few stories resonate as deeply as that of former world number four player Jelena Dokic.
Once a rising star on the world tennis stage, her journey has been marked not only by her impressive athletic achievements but by a harrowing personal history that has profoundly shaped her life.
Regarded as a child prodigy, she was among the world’s best at just 16 years of age. However, the pressure to succeed came at a very heavy cost.
Physically and mentally abused and bullied by her father and coach, Damir Dokic, she endured years of pain, humiliation and trauma, eventually having to step down from the sport due to debilitating mental health issues.
However, Jelena’s story is one of remarkable resilience and survival. This powerhouse of a woman refuses to be defined and defeated by her past.
In fact, she has emerged as a powerful advocate for mental health awareness and the importance of speaking out against abuse.
By sharing her story, she aims to inspire others who have faced similar challenges to find their voices and seek help.
“It has been so important to me that I use my hardship and adversity and pain and turn it into power,” she tells Sunshine Coast News‘s sister publication My Weekly Preview.
“For me, power is being able to help others. That’s what I want my legacy to be about.
“To be able to share my story to try and make a difference and normalise conversations around domestic violence and child abuse and remove the shame and stigma has been so powerful.
“Often, we don’t talk about it because we think maybe we won’t be believed or there is something wrong with us, when actually it’s the other way around.”
Having opened up about her own struggles with depression, anxiety, an eating disorder and, more recently, borderline personality disorder, Jelena says it’s imperative we create a safe space for people to speak up.
“I found a lot of courage in speaking up and being vulnerable and sharing my story,” she says.
“You think if you are going to be vulnerable, it’s a weakness, but it’s actually not weak; it’s very courageous.
“I never would have got professional help if I didn’t find that strength and vulnerability and it allowed me to explore different avenues. It saved my life.
“Mental health struggles can leave you in a dark space where nothing makes sense.
“We need people around us to get through it, but often, we don’t have that because we are afraid to say what we are going through.
“We need to celebrate people who have the courage to come out and talk about their experiences.”
Having authored two books, Unbreakable in 2017 and Fearless in 2023, Jelena has detailed her tumultuous relationship with her father and the toll it took on her career and personal life, including her battles with weight and the resulting hope of helping not only herself but others.
“If I didn’t have the courage to write my first book, I have no idea where I would be today,” Jelena says.
“I really only discovered who I was once I fully opened up, and that’s why I found so much power in words, in speaking, in knowledge.
“Knowledge is power, but for us to be able to pass on the knowledge of what domestic violence or child abuse or bullying looks like, we need to speak to survivors and what they needed and what they didn’t have.
“I found power in that [by] finding my core values, healing and then helping others. Everything I do today is in the hope of changing things.”
Alongside her struggles with her father, Jelena has also faced a public battle with her weight, which became a focal point for criticism during her career.
After taking a break from tennis in the early 2000s, she struggled with her body image, experiencing fluctuations in weight that attracted the scrutiny of fans and media.
In fact, back in 2005 as the Australian Open neared, Jelena says she was only a couple of kilos off her best weight when a journalist wrote that she would be wise to “avoid the Christmas pudding”.
The pressure to maintain a certain physique in the competitive world of sports was exacerbated by online trolls, whose cruel comments further impacted her mental health.
“Whether I was a size two or 20, I was never ashamed of myself, but then I kind of started to feel that way because of people’s comments,” Jelena says.
“I have a pretty tough skin. I’m a tough cookie, but it got to a stage where I didn’t want to leave the house. I didn’t want to face people.”
“But then I thought, ‘I’m not going to feel like that, I am not going to be judged on my weight rather than what I can offer’.
“I had to remind myself that my worth is not dependent on someone else, especially someone who doesn’t know me and what I have been through.”
This is why she started taking on the trolls on social media, hitting back at people’s judgement on weight and size.
“It drove me to send out the right message. I wanted to come from a place of kindness and being graceful and showing people that’s what we need to show to each other on social media.”
Jelena says it seems she can’t win no matter what size she is.
“I started taking care of my health this year. I’m getting older and have high blood pressure and diabetes in my family.
“I have lost 25 kilos and now it seems it’s not good enough.
“It’s not good enough if you gain weight, and it’s not good enough if you lose it. It’s not about that; I will stand up for everyone, from size zero to 20.
“We are not the number on the scales. There are different shapes, sizes, heights. There is no perfect. We are all different and all amazing.”
Now a TEDx presenter, TV sports commentator, keynote speaker and two-time bestselling author, Jelena says without seeking professional help and telling her truth, she would not be where she is today.
“I was lost when I retired early because of my mental health struggles and injuries.
“To be left without tennis at 29, I had no idea where I was going.
“I have had a lot of doors shut on me and I have had to work my way up.
“Just a few years ago, I could hardly string a sentence together because of how bad my trauma was. I was so shy and had no self-worth.
“I am very grateful for what I have achieved and I feel very fortunate.
“I have hustled and I have worked hard. Everything I do, I absolutely love every single part of it.”
These days, Jelena actively participates and campaigns with organisations dedicated to preventing domestic violence, using her influence to raise awareness and promote change.
“We have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go. If you look at numbers in domestic violence, it’s still not good,” she says.
“I still get messages from people who still face shame and stigma – there is still victim blaming and shaming.
“We need to continue to have those conversations. Even today, we can’t be complacent.
“We need to do more work in schools, in the community and through fundraising events.”
Jelena will share her remarkable story at the SunnyKids 25th Anniversary Ball and Christmas Campaign, which will be held on Saturday, October 12 at Venue 114 in Bokarina.
Each October, the SunnyKids Ball raises vital funds for women and children impacted by domestic and family violence.
All funds raised are directly towards the charity’s Save A Life Tonight (SALT) campaign.
This campaign saves lives and continues to play a pivotal role in interrupting the threat of violence before it takes place.
Tickets are available here.
If you or someone you know is at risk DVConnect offers 24-hour support on 1800 811 811, or phone Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can also contact SunnyKids on 5479 0394. If it is a life-threatening situation, call 000 immediately.
