Tennis legend Jelena Dokic reveals she’s taking time off social media to ‘process pain and trauma’

Jelena Dokic has revealed that she is taking time off social media as she struggles through a ‘tough period’ in her life. 

The tennis champion, 38, shared a post to Instagram on Tuesday, revealing the news, after she was absent from the platform for over a month.

‘I am sure you have all noticed that I have been absent from social media for a while now,’ she began her explanation to fans. 

‘Thank you for all your messages of concern and care for me. I really appreciate it. I am going through a very tough period in my life right now and a huge change and I just need some time to recover, heal and process the pain and trauma that I am going through,’ Dokic continued. 

‘I know a lot of you have written to me and I haven’t replied but just know that I do see your messages and I appreciate them very much but I am not in a good space right now to reply and communicate with you all like I usually do and I am so sorry for that. 

‘The same goes for posting so I will be staying off Instagram for a little while longer. I know so many of you look forward to my posts and find so much inspiration in them and I am so sorry I can’t provide that for you right now. 

‘And to those that have told me that in person and stopped me on the street to tell me how much I and my posts inspire you. Thank you. Please know that I love you all and I am very grateful for all your support and love.’ 

She concluded: ‘To my friends and the people close to me that know what I am going through. Thank you for all your love and care. Don’t know what I would do without you and you know who you are. 

‘I will be back and I will be back stronger than ever even if it doesn’t feel like that right now but I will be back. I always am and I know the sun will shine again. Thank you for your understanding’.  

In October, the athlete reflected on her past struggles with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in an Instagram post for World Mental Health Day.

At the time, she shared a photo of herself during a challenging time where she almost ‘ended’ her life.

Revealing that she’s now ‘in such a different space’, Dokic urged her followers to ‘check in’ on one another as you never know what ‘battle they are fighting’.

‘WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY!! This photo brings up a lot of sadness and pain and was taken during a period of my life where I was experiencing depression, anxiety and PTSD. Only a few years later I almost ended my life,’ Jelena began.

‘Today I am in such a different space. Having gone through many personal challenges and come out the other side, I know how important it is to check in on people around you.’ 

Jelena said she realises ‘not everyone is fortunate enough’ to survive dark times, and encouraged her followers to ‘raise awareness globally of mental health issues’. 

‘It might not seem like a big deal but for anyone facing mental health struggles, just knowing that someone cares for you really does make a world of difference,’ she said.

‘I know how important it is to check in with family, friends or anyone struggling. I struggled immensely and wish more people would have checked in on me.

‘So please show support and be kind because you never know what someone is going through and what battle they are fighting.’

Jelena went on to suggest many simple ways people can reach out to others. 

‘Sometimes people underestimate the power of sending a text or making a phone call. It doesn’t take a lot of time and effort and it might not seem like a big deal but it really can and does have an enormous impact. I know it always has and does for me.’

Jelena concluded her post by sending everyone ‘so much love’ and reminding them that they are not alone. 

This is not the first time Jelena has spoken about her past struggles with mental health. 

In 2017, Jelena said she nearly killed herself after allegedly suffering blows of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her father.

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The tennis star said the trauma she faced behind closed doors and the antics Damir Dokic displayed on the sidelines ‘kind of ruined her career’. 

Despite conceding she ‘wasn’t able to reach her full potential’ in the game, Jelena said life was tougher being a teenager in Australia. 

‘What I am from poverty to racism to bullying… but after I left home dealing with depression and almost committing suicide,’ she told Seven News at the time.

Her autobiography Unbreakable, which was released at the time, sparked fellow athletes to speak out against Tennis Australia – who they say must have known about the alleged abuse.

Tennis Australia released a statement which spoke to the fact concerns were made about Jelena’s welfare during her tennis reign, but a ‘lack of cooperation’ meant the investigation never saw the light of day.

‘All of us at Tennis Australia applaud Jelena’s courage in telling her story and will continue to support her in any way we can,’ News.com.au reported at the time. 

‘There were many in tennis at the time who were concerned for Jelena’s welfare, and many who tried to assist with what was a difficult family situation.

‘Some officials even went as far as lodging police complaints, which without cooperation from those directly involved, unfortunately could not be fully investigated.

‘Over the past ten years tennis has been constantly improving and updating policies to increase protection for children.

‘Tennis Australia is working closely with the Australian Childhood Foundation to strengthen the safeguarding of children across the sport.’ 

Unbreakable details the almost daily torment by ‘tennis’ worst dad’ Damir Dokic – violence which allegedly started at age six and ‘spiralled out of control’.

During the course of her career, which saw the Croatian-born athlete reach world number four, Jelena alleges she was whipped with a leather belt if they had a bad training session and had her shins kicked with heavy dress shoes, often leaving her bruised and bloodied. 

She was also referred to as a ‘sl*t’ and a ‘wh**e’ as a young teenager, the Daily Telegraph previously reported. 

Despite the near-constant assaults, Jelena said the worst beating she ever had was after losing early on at the du Maurier Open in Canada in 2000.

‘It was a really nasty memory that will stay with me forever… I ended up fainting,’ she said. ‘He beat me really badly.’     

Damir was considered one of tennis’ worst dads for his frequent arguments with match officials that got him kicked out of three of the four grand slam tournaments.

He was ejected from Wimbledon in 2000 for smashing a journalist’s phone, the U.S. Open for abusing staff about the price of lunch, and the 2001 Australian Open for claiming the draw was rigged against his daughter. 

In 2009 he was jailed for 15 months for threatening the Australian ambassador in Serbia with a hand grenade.

The teenage star’s career peaked when she made the Wimbledon quarter finals in 1999 and semi finals in 2000, followed by the 2002 French Open quarter finals.

After years out of the top rankings she made a comeback in 2009 to make the quarter finals of the 2009 Australian Open. 

Jelena retired in 2014 before battling a thyroid condition that saw her balloon to 120 kilos. She later went on to lose 30 kilos. 

For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14.

Anyone across Australia experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide can contact Lifeline. 

Source: Daily Mail