Stay far away Jelena. Read the last few lines - he's still in denial
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'It is my biggest, biggest mistake': Damir
David Hastie and David Murray | January 25, 2009
EXCLUSIVE: DAMIR Dokic has apologised for derailing his daughter's life and spurning Australia at the height of her career.
The shamed father of reborn Aussie tennis golden girl Jelena Dokic has offered an olive branch to his daughter and the Australian public by finally saying sorry for years of outrageous public behaviour.
Dokic's return to the top of world sport is set to continue today at Melbourne Park in the fourth round of the Australian Open against 29th seed Russian Alisa Kleybanova.
Her father spoke exclusively to the Sunday Herald Sun from his Serbian home about his guilt over his daughter.
Mr Dokic said his biggest mistake was forcing Jelena to turn her back on Australia in 2001 and change allegiances to Serbia and Montenegro.
Mr Dokic said he would welcome his daughter back to Serbia if she wished to return, but admitted Australia was the best place to resurrect her career.
Mr Dokic said his attack on Australian Open organisers in 2001 over an allegedly biased draw against his daughter was wrong.
"Do you remember 2001, when I change (sic) for Jelena when she play for Australia?" Mr Dokic said. "It is my biggest, biggest mistake.
"In 2001, Australian Open, the draw for Jelena is very bad. They do nothing for her.
"I get very angry, very angry and I change play, stop play for Australia and change (to Serbia).
"But now I think it is my biggest mistake."
When asked if he still loved his daughter and missed her, he said: "Of course."
Mr Dokic said he hoped to one day reunite with his daughter.
"Of course, if she call me, I will be coach with her," he said. "But I get to Serbia seven years ago, now I am 50.
"You have good life in your country. I think it is good for her. It is a very strong country. Australia can help for everything. If she stay and play for Australia, better for her."
Serbian-Australian Dokic, 25, revealed she had been fighting depression as a result of the split with her father, which effectively alienated her from mother, Liliana, and younger brother, Savo.
She turned her back on her father after a number of unsavory public incidents including his infamous spat over the size and price of a $21.80 dish of salmon in the US Open players' lounge in 2000.
Mr Dokic said he was upset to learn of his daughter's depression, but insisted it was her decision to turn her back on him.
"'She became depressed when she saw what she had done," he said.
"When she left home everything started to go bad for her.
"She started losing tournament after tournament and she was panicking. Of course she was depressed, but not because of me.
'She became the fourth-best player in the world because of me." http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24958989-661,00.html
