By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Former WTA No. 4 ranked tennis player (2002); Winner of six WTA singles and four doubles titles. 348-221 record in singles. Turned pro in 1998 and retired in 2014. Author of her new autobiography Unbreakable.
DOB: April 12, 1983 In: Osijek, Croatia
Childhood Hero: “Steffi Graf.”
Tennis Inspirations: Well,it’s a little different story for me because I already played once and then I had some time off with some personal problems, so, for me, I feel like I’m kinda starting the second part of my career. So I just want to try and see and try to do as well as I can. There’s a lot of goals for me and a lot of things I would like to do but we’ll see how far I can go.”
Last Book Read: “The Devil Wears Prada. I got it for Christmas. I read that. And I’m just starting a new one but I can’t remember the name.”
Favorite Movie: “Have to say Gladiator maybe [smiles].”
First Tennis Memory: “When I started when I was six – the first club where I started at, my very first tennis session. It was weird. Because I was nervous and I didn’t know what to expect but I actually didn’t miss too many balls which was funny, for someone who just started playing tennis. Not that I decided then and there that I would play but it was really something that I enjoyed.”
Favorite Meal: “Anything Italian.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Cookies and cream.”
Current Car: “Porsche Carrera 4S (dark gray).”
Pre-Match Feeling: “I get nervous maybe a couple of hours before the match. And right before the match I’d say about an hour before, I try to calm down a little bit and get five minutes in the locker room and kind of go through my thoughts. Try to imagine the points that I would like to play on the court. That way I kind of calm down.”
Greatest Career Moment: “Would be winning my first title in Rome. And probably the last Australian Open.”
Most Painful Moment: “Would be losing the semifinal of the Olympics in 2000 (to Monica Seles). And quarterfinal of Australian Open this year (to Dinara Safina) [laughs].”
Favorite Tournaments: “All the Grand Slams. But probably would have to say San Diego. They used to have a great tournament. (Why?) It was just a great tournament. They looked after the players really well. And the site and the resort where we played was just amazing.”
Favorite Players To Watch: “Federer and Nadal. I mainly watch men’s tennis. They play so differently but they have such great matches (Who do you root for?) It’s difficult to say. First, when Federer was winning everything, I was rooting for Nadal. So I wanted him to try and win Wimbledon, which he did. So lately I’ve been going for Nadal but I like to watch them both play.”
Funny Tennis Memory: “Maybe it’s not so funny but we had in Europe winters are very harsh. And so we don’t have indoor courts. And it was winter and it was about minus fifteen (degrees). That was when I was about seven. We went on the courts – ice was on the court – we tried to move the snow and everything. And we kind of played on that. But it was funny. We played in gloves and hats and everything [smiles].”
Embarrassing Tennis Memory: “I think it’s always tough to play when you play in front of a big crowd – you always try to not embarrass yourself. Some of the stuff that you do – a few times before I tripped and fell and stuff like that [smiles].”
Last Vacation: “I live in Croatia but the last three years I was vacationing there. The coast there is one of the most beautiful places I’ve been.”
(Note: This interview was done at the IMG Tennis Academy in Bradenton, FL in late February 2009.)
catherine · November 27, 2017 at 11:13 am
Scoop – Have you read her book yet ?
Scoop Malinowski · November 27, 2017 at 11:49 am
Scoop Malinowski writes:
No. I hope it's not too focused on negative and the abuse. I want to learn more about her tennis and life on the tour.
catherine · November 27, 2017 at 12:00 pm
All the publicity has been on the negative side but that’s just for sales so there may be more on the tennis life aspect. Hope so anyway.
Scoop Malinowski · November 27, 2017 at 12:15 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
She was a great player. SF of Wimbledon. 4 in the world. Six singles titles. 10 in world in doubles. Her run in Australia in 2009 was one of the best most exciting and emotional experiences I ever saw in tennis. I will always harbor some dislike for Safina for ending the dream run!
catherine · November 27, 2017 at 12:53 pm
I’ll get around to reading Jelena’s book sometime but meanwhile I’ve noticed an Amazon review which does mention the stuff about the abuse etc becomes repetitive and loses impact after a while, suggesting your fears are probably well-founded.
The book is also written in the present tense which is something I find annoying although I know many people don’t mind.
Scoop Malinowski · November 27, 2017 at 1:25 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
When I read that the father kicked and spit at her that's all I wanted to read about the abuse. That she his from him in the players lounge of a tournament. That's enough. She was a great player who played against all the greats of her era and she probably could have been a multiple major champion if she had a different father or her father had a different attitude. I heard from reliable sources that Mr Dokic was far from the only abusive father to his daughter, and the other ones went on to win multiple majors. It's a dark side of the sport that needs to be corrected. I've also heard even worse stories about certain famous female players which are unrepeatable.
Scoop Malinowski · November 27, 2017 at 1:27 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Guess I can't read Unbreakable now either because my Facing Sampras will be published later this week or next and it will be competing with Dokic. And of course you know which read I think tennis fans will find more entertaining, insightful and amusing 🙂 (Hint: His nicknames were Pistol Pete, Pizza Pete, The Mongoose.) 🙂
catherine · November 27, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Well Scoop, I hope your book gets the attention I’m sure it deserves 🙂 I think they are very good reference books for anyone writing on the sport and who needs reliable quotes (with acknowledgement of course).
The whole business about fathers and male coaches of girls and young women is fraught, and I’m not sure what the WTA can do about it. One answer maybe is to encourage more women to become coaches at the highest level.
There’s a big scandal in Britain at the moment over a coach in Wales who has been jailed for abuse, bullying etc at a tennis centre there – LTA was well aware of complaints for years and did nothing. The concept of ‘duty of care’ seems to mean very little in these situations.
catherine · November 28, 2017 at 1:12 pm
Scoop – good review of Facing McEnroe on Tennis now site but as far as I can see there’s no mention of the author.
I’d make a fuss if I were you.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2017 at 7:27 pm
Scoop Malinowski writes:
Thanks Catherine, I will do. Happy with that nice review though 🙂