The tennis world is a little dimmer this week with the news that Nikola Pilic, a Croatian legend and the man Novak Djokovic called his “tennis father,” has passed away at the age of 86. Pilic died on Monday in Opatija, a coastal town in his native Croatia, leaving behind a legacy that’s frankly hard to overstate. For many, he was the behind-the-scenes force who not only shaped champions but also stood up for players’ rights in a way that permanently changed the sport.

Who Exactly Was Nikola Pilic?

For those who only follow the current titans of tennis, the name Nikola Pilic might not ring an immediate bell. But trust me, this guy was a big deal. Before he was molding future world No. 1s, Pilic was a formidable player in his own right. Born in Split in 1939, he picked up a racket and qu

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