The great of Yugoslav and world tennis, the legendary Nikola Pilic, was buried on Saturday at the cemetery in Opatija.
In silence and dignity, at the city cemetery in Opatija, family and friends bid farewell to the legendary Pilic to his eternal rest.
Nikola Niki Pilic, a celebrated player, tennis revolutionary and visionary, passed away at the age of 87, and his final farewell gathered those whose lives and careers he deeply marked.
Alongside family and closest friends, some of the greatest tennis names from the region attended the funeral. Novak Djokovic, Ivan Ljubicic, Mario Ancic, and a wreath was also sent by Boba Zivojinovic.
The atmosphere was filled with sorrow, but also with deep respect for the man who gave everything to tennis.
A visibly shaken Djokovic, who often called Pilic his “tennis father,” delivered an exceptionally emotional speech.
“In essence, we are his students and the continuers of his legacy. As we have said before, his spirit will live forever. As long as we are here, we will be dedicated to celebrating everything he did for tennis – whether Croatian, Serbian, European, or world. Thank you, Niko,” said, among other things, a visibly grief-stricken Novak.
Who was Nikola Pilic?
Nikola Pilic took Novak Djokovic under his wing at the age of 12, when he accepted him into his tennis academy in Munich. The two then built a sincere relationship that they nurtured until the end. Mutual respect and great friendship.
But who was Nikola Pilic? He was born in Split, on August 27, 1939. He was the son of Krsto Pilic, who moved from Dalmatian Hinterland to Split to learn the metalworking trade. The Pilic family originated from Miljevci near Drnis, in Bukovica. There he met Danica Tomic Feric, who came from one of the oldest Dalmatian families in that city. Their relationship was a shock to Danica’s parents, but in the end, love triumphed. Split long retold the story of their wedding, especially as it took place just before the beginning of World War II.
Nikola grew up during the war, and although times were difficult, he tried to enjoy his childhood. He once recalled how he and his friends would slip between the ropes with which ships were tied, and how he loved to play football with a rag ball on the red clay. He would come home with bloodied knees, and his mother would put compresses with rakija on them.
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Source:Nova, Foto: IVICA VESELINOV/ MN PRESS