Amid a career defined by 24 Slams and over 100 titles, Novak Djokovic has carried both glory and growing grief. In recent years, the emotional weight deepened as he mourned mentor Nikki Pilic with tears on court. Now, the sorrow sharpens again as he grieves the sudden loss of national icon Tatjana Jecmenica-Jevtic.

Novak Djokovic reacted to the heartbreaking news on Saturday. He shared a post from the Serbian tennis Instagram community U Penjanju. The post included a monochrome image of Jecmenica-Jevtic.

Djokovic reposted the message with his own tribute. He added, “May your soul rest in peace.” He ended his message with folded hands and a red heart emoji.

The 47-year-old Serbian former tennis pro Tatjana Jecmenica-Jevtic has died after a tragic car crash. Reports say the crash happened on Friday night around 9 pm. It took place on the city bypass motorway around Belgrade. The road circles the Serbian capital.

According to local reports, the SUV collided with a truck. Tatjana and her husband, the director of RK Vojvodina, Darko Jevtic, were trapped inside the vehicle. Emergency teams responded to the scene.

Darko Jevtic survived the crash but remains in critical condition. He is currently in an induced coma. His injuries are described as life-threatening. 

Jecmenica-Jevtic began playing tennis at age seven in 1985. She trained in her hometown of Novi Sad. She also shared school and training facilities with Monica Seles. She had a strong junior career and later played professionally. Her highest rankings were No. 72 in singles and No. 88 in doubles in 1996. After struggles and setbacks, she retired in 2005.

After retirement, she turned to coaching and development. She opened a tennis academy in Novi Sad. The academy trained players between the ages of five and twenty. Jecmenica-Jevtic served as Serbia’s Fed Cup captain from 2014 until her passing. 

Even for Djokovic, he spoke emotionally after attending the funeral of his mentor, Nikola Pilic, last year. It was the first funeral he had ever attended. “The human connections that he (Pilic) has left behind and established throughout his life and his career,” he said softly. 

And as of now, tributes for Jecmenica-Jevtic also come from the WTA community and across the tennis world.

Olga Danilovic pays heartfelt tribute to Jecmenica-Jevtic

Along with Novak Djokovic, Serbia’s top women’s player, Olga Danilovic, also shared her grief. She spoke emotionally about Tatjana Jecmenica-Jevtic. 

Speaking to Sport Klub, Danilovic shared her shock and memories. She said, “I still can’t believe it. Tasa is part of my fondest memories from my junior years. We won many tournaments, perhaps the most important being the junior Roland Garros doubles.”

She recalled the time they spent together on and off the court. Their partnership was filled with learning and trust. The memories remain special to her.

Danilovic added, “We spent a lot of time together. The positive energy and adrenaline in her presence were never lacking. She taught me to be aggressive and to always believe in that game. She played very well, and there were times in practice when I couldn’t take a point from her.”

She also spoke about Jecmenica-Jevtic’s devotion to her family. The coach balanced her professional life with deep personal love. Her family meant everything to her. Danilovic shared: “(Husband) Darko and (son) Aleksa were her everything in the world, and our long trips were hard for her. She lived to make them happy. When we would return from tournaments, Darko and Aleksa would come halfway to wait for us because she missed them so much. I am infinitely sorry.”

The tennis world has reacted with sadness and disbelief. Tributes have come from players, officials, and fans. The sporting community stands united in grief.

As condolences continue to pour in, her legacy remains strong. She touched many lives through tennis and kindness. From the tennis world and fans alike: Rest in Peace!