"Swollen, bruised and bleeding shins from being beaten and kicked": Jelena Dokic shows images of harrowing abuse suffered throughout career
Tennis News
After being more and more in the spotlight through TV work and commentary, former World No.4 Jelena Dokic has also used her platform to shine a light on abuse.
Dokic herself having suffered harrowing abuse during her career with depression, online abuse, body shaming and family violence all throughout her career.
She spoke about this abuse in her book Unbreakable but also took to Instagram to show more in depth images of abuse that she still feels to this day.
“Swollen, bruised and bleeding shins from being beaten and kicked all night with sharp shoes right into my shins for losing a match,” she posted on Instagram.
“These images were taken more than two weeks later and I was still heavily bruised. I was 17 years old.
“To this day I still have sensitive and bumpy shins from this beating.
“From every wound there is a scar and these are mine. I have survived but not everyone woman and girl has or will. And that’s the sad reality.”
“I was speaking at a domestic and family violence event today and I was sad,” she continued.
“Sad and angry for the tens of millions of women out there in the world who I know right in this moment are going through a lot worse than I ever did.
“For those reading this that might be experiencing abuse or domestic violence just know I get you. I know how scared and afraid you are. Know that you have incredible strength and courage. Nothing is your fault."
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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