Australian tennis great Jelena Dokic has spoken candidly about the man who was there to help her pick up the pieces after her 19-year relationship ended.
In an interview with The Australian women’s weeklyDokic revealed that tennis legend Todd Woodbridge was the first person she called when she and then-boyfriend Tin Bikic split just two days before Christmas in 2021.
After receiving a late-night phone call from a distraught Dokic, Woodbridge sprang into action, picking her up and taking her back to her family home, where he arranged for a therapy session for her to attend first thing in the morning.
The two have been great friends since they met on the circuit just two years before the world number 4 announced her retirement in 2014.
The 29-year-old at the time was struggling to find a new direction in her life after sport.
“When I retired, I was a shadow of myself. I literally couldn’t get two sentences out, I was scared to leave the house, I couldn’t look people in the eye, I had no social skills left,” she told the magazine in the September 2024 issue.
Her teammate Woodbridge encouraged her to use her experiences to pursue a career as a tennis commentator, something she thought was beyond her reach at the time.
However, she has since moved on and developed a successful and fulfilling career as a television commentator and public speaker.
Jelena Dokic has opened up about her healthy journey and the people she can always rely on
Tennis legend Todd Woodbridge has been there to help Dokic through the toughest times.
Dokic spoke fondly about how she is still on “good terms” with her now ex-boyfriend Tin Bikic, despite their split after nearly 19 years.
“I never thought I would have found my voice by now, that I would believe in myself and not care what other people think and have a really positive mindset,” she said.
During the interview, Dokic spoke fondly about how she is still on “great terms” with her now ex-boyfriend Bikic, despite their shocking split after nearly 19 years.
“He’s the kindest, best person with the best heart. His faith in me through thick, thin and thin really saved my life,” she said.
She explained how she knows she can always count on Bikic, no matter the circumstances.
The tennis star is set to launch Australia’s weekly Women’s Health Summit in Sydney.
Dokic has long been vocal about her struggles with mental health, online bullying, body-shaming criticism and the violence she suffered at the hands of her father throughout her career.
In June, the former tennis star hit back at cruel trolls after they criticised her for losing 20kg during her most recent weight loss.
“It’s not good for you to gain weight, nor is it good for you to lose weight. It seems like it’s not good for you to be a size 0, 10, or 18,” she said in an Instagram post in June.
“Everyone knows I’m a very open and honest person. Whether I’m gaining or losing weight, whether I’m depressed or feeling good, whether I’m going through good times or bad times, I’m always honest about both.”
In June, the former tennis star hit back at cruel trolls after they criticised her for losing 20kg during her most recent weight loss (right).
In the interview, Dokic talked about his struggles in retirement and how he found his voice.
Jelena Dokic on the cover of The Australian Women’s Weekly’s September 2024 issue
Dokic attributed her weight loss to healthy eating, after having decided to become healthier and fitter due to some health issues.
Despite having lost weight since her ‘height’, she revealed that people had criticised her..
“Some people have already jumped on the bandwagon of judgment and shaming over my weight loss and said that I have succumbed to ‘diet culture’ and that I no longer represent plus-size people. Please don’t even think about mentioning that,” Dokic said.
‘Being healthier and doing what’s best for me has nothing to do with it and I have always and will always stand up for both size 0 and size 20 people, especially women.
‘It was always about not judging, shaming or bullying people regardless of their weight or size, but rather highlighting that it’s kindness that matters, not our size.
“Even though I’ve lost 20 kilos, it doesn’t change anything. I still want people to judge me and others based on whether we are kind and good people. I will always be proud of myself and I will not hide or be ashamed, no matter my size.”
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