Latest news with #Damir
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Tennis world loses its mind as Jelena Dokic hard launches new boyfriend Yane Veselinov
The tennis world has been quick to congratulate Aussie tennis icon Jelena Dokic as she finally went public with her new relationship. The much-loved commentator hard-launched her latest beau, Yane Veselinov, on Instagram on Monday afternoon. Posting a picture of her and Vaselinov, the 42-year-old wrote: 'You are my calm, safe, peaceful and happy place. So glad I found you.' The post was inundated with messages of support, as fans went wild. 'COULDN'T LOVE THIS MORE,' one fan wrote. 'Oh YAYYYYYY!!!! So happy for you xxxx you deserve all the joy and happiness life has to offer,' another commented. 'This makes me so happy! You deserve all the happiness in the world Jelena!' a third wrote. While others commented 'best news ever', 'so happy for you' and 'so happy for your happiness – you deserve this love'. The tennis star turned commentator previously dated Tin Bikic for 19 years before the relationship ended in 2022. Since their split, Dokic has rebuilt her life and career and has also opened up in depth about the torment she endured at the hands of her late father, Damir. The former world No. 4 tennis player survived physical and emotional abuse from her father along with cowardly online trolling over her appearance, to forge a successful career as a commentator and author. And her news of her relationship comes just weeks after she appeared on the Mental As Anyone podcast, the beloved tennis champion spoke about her love of children and the possibility of exploring adoption. 'I was in a relationship for almost 19 years from the age of 20 and right when we split up, we were about to start trying for a family. 'Maybe one day. One day will I adopt? Possibly. It's something I would love to do because I love kids.' Dokic broke onto the tennis scene at just 16 years of age back in 1999 as a little-known qualifier at Wimbledon, where she upset world No. 1 Martina Hingis before reaching the quarter-finals. The following year, she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon – her best Grand Slam result – but hidden behind the scenes was a dark story that would eventually derail her career. At the height of Dokic's tennis career, Damir made her turn her back on Australia and switch allegiances to Yugoslavia, which saw her booed at the Australian Open by Aussie fans. Her promising career deteriorated, with her father largely to blame, and it was only in recent years that Dokic was able to reveal the true depths of her abuse. Discussing the prospect of motherhood, Dokic spoke bravely about concerns she could replicate some of her upbringing with a child of her own. But the six-time WTA tournament winner had an emphatic response to that possibility. 'Did I at one stage maybe think, I didn't have the best experience, and I know a lot of people with parents and having that childhood and what would that mean for me?' she said. 'Because I know a lot of people who have been through family violence or abuse, domestic violence, however you want to frame it, they are worried about that, whether they would be the same. 'But for me, 100 per cent certainty, I can say 100 per cent, I know I wouldn't be (like my father). 'I love kids and I know even if I were a single mum, to be honest, and I adopted one day, it would have all the love in the world. 'I would love to have a father as well, but I know I can give it absolutely everything and (it) would have all the love and support and I would be completely different. 'That would never, I could never, I could never be (like) that, ever. 'I always said I wanted to have kids, but I want to adopt. So that's a big wish of mine and passion and I hope to do it one day.'
Canada Standard
05-07-2025
- Business
- Canada Standard
Whitecaps exercise buyout on F Damir Kreilach
Field Level Media 05 Jul 2025, 20:35 GMT+10 (Photo credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images) The Vancouver Whitecaps have exercised a buyout of forward Damir Kreilach's guaranteed contract. The 36-year-old Croatian will no longer occupy a senior roster spot, and his wages won't count against the club's salary budget. 'Damir has been an exceptional leader and mentor over the past one and a half years,' sporting director Axel Schuster said Friday. 'Many of our young players, who are now making their mark in MLS, were so well prepared thanks to his steady presence and support in the locker room. 'We're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Damir and wish him and his family all the very best in the future.' Kreilach contributed one goal in four matches (no starts) this season with Vancouver. His two-year totals with the Whitecaps included three goals in 21 matches (six starts). Kreilach racked up 47 goals in 151 MLS matches (133 starts) with Real Salt Lake from 2018-23. The 2021 MLS All-Star's career totals across all competitions include 60 goals and 20 assists in 199 appearances. Each MLS club is permitted two buyouts per season. --Field Level Media
Canada News.Net
05-07-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Whitecaps exercise buyout on F Damir Kreilach
(Photo credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images) The Vancouver Whitecaps have exercised a buyout of forward Damir Kreilach's guaranteed contract. The 36-year-old Croatian will no longer occupy a senior roster spot, and his wages won't count against the club's salary budget. 'Damir has been an exceptional leader and mentor over the past one and a half years,' sporting director Axel Schuster said Friday. 'Many of our young players, who are now making their mark in MLS, were so well prepared thanks to his steady presence and support in the locker room. 'We're incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Damir and wish him and his family all the very best in the future.' Kreilach contributed one goal in four matches (no starts) this season with Vancouver. His two-year totals with the Whitecaps included three goals in 21 matches (six starts). Kreilach racked up 47 goals in 151 MLS matches (133 starts) with Real Salt Lake from 2018-23. The 2021 MLS All-Star's career totals across all competitions include 60 goals and 20 assists in 199 appearances. Each MLS club is permitted two buyouts per season.
Sky News AU
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'End of a chapter': Jelena Dokic is seen for the first time since announcing the death of her abusive father Damir Dokic as she jets into Brisbane
Jelena Dokic has been seen in public for the first time since announcing the death of her estranged father, Damir Dokic, aged 67. The 42-year-old former tennis champion looked subdued as she arrived at Brisbane Airport on Friday, just two days after revealing the news of her father's passing. She kept her outfit casual, wearing a beige jacket over a fluffy blue sweater, navy trousers and Adidas sneakers. Her hair was tied up in a top knot, and she appeared fresh-faced with no makeup. Dokic, who now works as a sports commentator for Channel Nine, broke the news on Wednesday with a poignant Instagram post, which included a childhood photo of herself with her father and former coach. "My father passed away in the late hours on 16.05.2025," she wrote. "As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history. "Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father even one you are estranged from. "The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief." Dokic expressed that, despite the pain, she wanted to focus on a fond memory with her father. The image she posted shows Jelena as a toddler, with Damir wrapping his arms around her and holding her hand. "And as always and especially important to who I am as a person and what I want to stand for which is respect, grace, kindness, dignity and empathy, I will and want to be that person in this situation too," she continued. She concluded by asking for privacy as she and her family grieve. "Thank you to so many of you for checking in on me over the last few days and for being here for me while I navigate this difficult and complicated situation," she wrote. "And my final words. RIP." Born in 1983 in the former Yugoslavia, Dokic later resettled in Serbia before arriving in Australia as a refugee with her parents and younger brother in 1994. Her rise in tennis was meteoric, reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon at just 16 and achieving a career-high world ranking of No. 4 in 2002. Behind the scenes, however, she endured years of abuse at the hands of her father, who was also her coach. Their relationship ultimately broke down, with Dokic cutting ties and continuing her career without him. In 2023, she confirmed that she had been estranged from Damir for more than a decade and that he had never apologised for the abuse, which she has described as verbal, emotional and physical. Earlier this month, obtained exclusive footage of Dokic at Melbourne Airport looking affectionate with a mystery man- just weeks after she publicly shared her desire to start a family. Dokic split from her long-time partner Tin Bukic in late 2022 after nearly 20 years together. Speaking recently on the Mental As Anyone podcast, she opened up about how the breakup disrupted her plans to become a mother. "I was in a relationship for almost 19 years from the age of 20 and right when we split up, we were about to start trying for a family," she said. "I actually think I would be a good mum to be honest, I love kids."
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jelena Dokic's difficult move after estranged father Damir dies days after doco award
Popular tennis commentator and former player Jelena Dokic has sent a 'difficult' message to her fans asking for space after revealing her abusive father and former coach Damir Dokic has died. Taking to social media, Dokic revealed her father had died in the late hours of 16 May. Dokic's relationship with her father was well documented over the years. The Aussie recently announced she had been recognised for her groundbreaking doco 'Unbreakable' that detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of Damir. The former tennis star reached World No.4 during her playing days, but did so under the tenure of her controlling father. Regardless of the pain her father put her through, Dokic shared a message and admitted her conflicting feelings at this difficult time. "As you know my relationship with my father has been difficult and painful with a lot of history," Dokic wrote in an Instagram post. "Despite everything and no matter how hard, difficult and in the last 10 years even non existent our relationship and communication was, it is never easy losing a parent and a father even one you are estranged from. The loss of an estranged parent comes with a difficult and complicated grief. It's an end of a chapter and life as I know it." Dokic accompanied the post with a photo of her when she was younger with Damir. And the former tennis star said she wanted to focus on the good memories she shared with her father as she processes the loss. "For the end of this chapter, I choose to focus on a good memory like this picture," she said. "And as always and especially important to who I am as a person and what I want to stand for which is respect, grace, kindness, dignity and empathy, I will and want to be that person in this situation too." View this post on Instagram A post shared by JELENA DOKIC 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺 (@dokic_jelena) Dokic retired from tennis in 2014 and has become a tennis commentator. The former Wimbledon semi-finalist has two books detailing her relationship with her father and has advocated for conversations around mental health and domestic violence since putting down the racquet. At the height of Dokic's career, Damir made her turn her back on Australia and switch allegiances to Yugoslavia, which saw her booed at the Australian Open by fans who thought it was her decision. Dokic was born in Croatia when it was still part of Yugoslavia, but moved to Australia with her family at age 11. She won the US Open junior girls title in 1998 while representing Australia, and teamed up with Mark Philippoussis to win the Hopman Cup in 1999 as a 15-year-old. Dokic switched her allegiance back to Australia in 2005, but said the Australian public's perception of her was "never the same". She went on to achieve a 14-3 record in Fed Cup and produced many famous victories for Australia. Back in January, Channel 9 aired Dokic's documentary, 'Unbreakable', which shined a light on some of the horrific treatment she received at the hands of her father. The documentary was adapted from her 2017 memoir of the same name and it also aired in cinemas late last year. The documentary showed the former tennis star's courage to overcome the horrific abuse and become the person she is today. And only last week Dokic revealed it had won 'Feature Documentary Production of the Year' at the annual Screen Producer Awards. Readers seeking support can contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (13 11 14)
