Novak Djokovic's former coach and Grand Slam finalist Nikola Pilic has passed away in Rijeka at the age of 86, according to Croatian Radiotelevision HRT.
Pilic - who was born in Split - which at the time was a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia - won nine titles during his career and achieved a career-high ranking of No. 6. Also, he was one of the first Grand Slam finalists in the Open Era, having reached the 1973 French Open title match - in which he was beaten by Ilie Nastase.
After concluding his pro tennis career, Pilic worked as a tennis coach and he is famously the only captain to have won Davis Cup with three different nations - Germany (1988, 1989, 1993), Croatia (2005) and Serbia (2010).
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The 1973 French Open runner-up was also one of Djokovic's first coaches, having worked with the Serb in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Djokovic once called Pilic his 'tennis father'
After the final of the 2022 Serbia Open in Belgrade, a special ceremony was held. Pilic was a guest - and when he entered the court - he was warmly hugged by Djokovic. After taking the microphone, the record 24-time Grand Slam champion spoke very highly of his childhood coach, even called him his "tennis father."
"I do not know what to say. It is a great honor to be here. One small correction, he is not one of the greatest of all time, he is the greatest of all time. In the competition of Federer, Nadal, Murray and company, 366 weeks to be number one, that is more than seven years. In my humble conviction, it may take 1,000 years for that record to be broken," Pilic said during the ceremony.
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"I don't understand why I can't speak normally. I am attached to Novak Djokovic and I wish him all the best. For me, Im not subjective, hes the best player of all time. I have to say one more thing - Srdjan and I always thought he would be a great champion. He was, he stayed, but the most important thing is that he is a great man."
