"I was actually kicked until I was unconscious a week before the US Open" - Jelena Dokic reveals own abuse experience after shocking video

Former tennis player Jelena Dokic revealed her own abuse experience in light of a recent viral video that shocked the tennis world.

A viral video originating in Serbia showed a father beating his daughter on a tennis court. Many players reacted with shock and anger as Serbian authorities arrested the man in question. In light of that, Jelena Dokic, a former player, talked about her own experience with a similar situation that she first revealed in her autobiography:

“It was just sickening to watch, as someone who’s been through it. I was actually kicked until I was unconscious a week before the US Open when I was 16 and it wasn’t the only time. Unfortunately, what happens behind closed doors is even worse."

On the incident in Serbia, Dokic added:

"Allegedly the father and the coach of this 14-year-old girl beat up someone at a tennis academy a few weeks ago. He’s done this to this girl as well, so my question is why is this happening? He was banned from a couple of clubs, but he can continue to be at different clubs and different tournaments, so the system clearly is broken – there’s something missing. If you’ve done this already and you’re banned from a club or academy, you shouldn’t be allowed to step anywhere near a tennis club."