Former Croatian tennis player and coach Nikola Pilic, who led Germany to three Davis Cup titles and mentored 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, has died at the age of 86, his country’s tennis association said on Tuesday.
Pilic, a French Open finalist as a player, captained Germany to three Davis Cup trophies between 1988 and 1993. He later led Croatia to their first Davis Cup title in 2005, and served as a consultant when Serbia won in 2010.
Djokovic, who joined Pilic’s academy in Germany when he was 12, described the coach as his “tennis father” in an Instagram post in 2018.
“Niki is one of the most important tennis and life mentors I’ve ever had. My time spent in his academy has greatly impacted my game and career,” Djokovic wrote.
The Croatian Tennis Association said in a statement that Pilic died on Monday and was one of the greatest players and coaches that the country has ever had.
“He was a very successful player and even more successful coach,” Djokovic wrote about Pilic.
