Nikola Pilić (27 August 1939 – 23 September 2025) was a Croatian professional tennis player who competed for SFR Yugoslavia. He was the coach of the Croatian, West German and Serbian …

Sep 22, 2025 · Having retired from competition, Pilic became a coach, helping guide Germany to three Davis Cup trophies in 1988, 1989 and 1993. He was also on hand as captain for Croatia and Serbia …

Oct 10, 2025 · Nikola Pilic, a magnetic Yugoslav tennis star of the 1960s and ’70s who helped change the sport irrevocably when his suspension from Wimbledon in 1973 led to a widespread boycott in …

Sep 23, 2025 · Pilić was a French Open singles runner-up in 1973 and the catalyst for the Wimbledon boycott that year. Yugoslavia tennis officials accused Pilić of refusing to play a Davis Cup tie against …

Sep 23, 2025 · Former Croatian tennis player and coach Nikola Pilic, who led Germany to three Davis Cup titles and mentored 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, has died at the age of 86, his …

Sep 23, 2025 · Croatian tennis legend Nikola Pilic, who captained multiple Davis Cup-winning sides and was an early mentor to Novak Djokovic, has died at the age of 87, the country’s tennis association...

As the Open Era dawned in 1968, Lamar Hunt, a sports entrepreneur and scion of Texan oil tycoons, recruited Pilic as one of the “Handsome Eight”. These were the first group of players to join the …

Nikola Pilic, a legendary figure who left an indelible mark as both a player and a coach, has passed away at the age of 86, as confirmed by the Croatian Tennis Association.

Sep 23, 2025 · Nikola Pilic, a former Croatian tennis player and coach, died at the age of 86, the Croatian Tennis Association confirmed on Tuesday. He has guided Croatia to its first Davis Cup …

Pilic, known for his playing and his coaching, is a native of Split, Croatia. He reached a career-high ranking of No.12 in the world and played a lone Grand Slam final, at Roland-Garros in 1973.