The nation’s tennis association said Tuesday that Nikola Pilic, a Croatian tennis great who captained several Davis Cup-winning teams and served as an early mentor to Novak Djokovic, has passed away at the age of 87.
“One of the greatest players and coaches Croatian tennis has ever had,” the organization said in a statement, passed away on Monday in the town of Opatija in western Croatia.
Four years after starting his career in Split in 1953, Pilic was playing for the Yugoslav young national team.
He later won the Yugoslav Championship seven times in doubles, once in mixed doubles, and five times in singles (1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1967).
When Pilic advanced to the French Open final in 1973, it was his finest accomplishment as an individual.
