Novak Djokovic part of tribute for 'tennis father' Nikola Pilic alongside Boris Becker and Ivan Ljubicic at Davis Cup Finals
ATP
Novak Djokovic's season might be done but he still made an appearance at the Davis Cup Finals alongside Boris Becker and Ivan Ljubicic in Bologna to pay tribute to the passing of Djokovic's so-called 'tennis father' Nikola Pilic who passed away in September this year.
Pilic was aged 86 and was a tennis legend who not only coached Djokovic but also had a special relationship with the Davis Cup Finals. He won five Davis Cup titles over his career and there were three representatives there in Bologna in what was a nice touch to symbolise the three countries he represented.
Pilic captained Germany to three Davis Cup triumphs in 1988, 1989 and 1993 of course with Becker in tow today to represent his country. Before he led Croatia to their first title in 2005. ivan Ljubicic was there for that while he was also part of the Serbian coaching staff that won their first Davis Cup in 2010.
Djokovic has spoken in glowing terms about Pilic who like alluded to he dubbed his 'tennis father' and was one of his initial coaches that he had his early success with. He appeared on court and gave a few words about a man who meant so much to his tennis make-up and said there was no better setting than the Davis Cup in order to celebrate him.
Given all he did for the tournament but also what he did for Djokovic's life, it was in his view the perfect send-off. He also mooted that he would likely hold the record for a long time of being the only person to captain multiple different countries to victory in the event.
"This is a moment of mixed emotions for me, if I'm honest," said Djokovic. "Niki was so instrumental in my life, in my career and in all the careers of the men on court. I must say there is no better setting than Davis Cup to celebrate the legacy of Niki Pilic, who will probably remain as the only Davis Cup captain in history to be winning with three different nations.
"From my heart, thank you Niki. You will always be remembered. We love you."
Becker was part of those teams in 1988 and 1989 and praised Pilic for everything he had done to grow the sport of tennis in his home country and that in his view no matter what he did for the sport himself that German tennis wouldn't have been in the position it was in if it wasn't for Pilic anchoring it.
"If you want to explain the importance that Niki Pilic had for German tennis, we'd need a couple of days," added Becker. "German tennis wouldn't have happened without this man. He was not only our captain but he was also my coach. I learned so much about the sport that I haven't learned from anybody else. We love and we miss you."
Ivan Ljubicic also spoke on court in Italian addressing the crowd. He was part of the team that Pilic captained for Croatia in 2005 and the attendees posed for a photo with five replica trophies to symbolise each one Pilic won. Rafael Nadal was retiring last year and was adorned and while more sombre, it was Pilic's turn in his passing to get the treatment he deserved for such an instrumental figure in the sport of tennis.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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