Jelena Dokic has provided heart-wrenching insight into one of the darkest chapters of her tennis career in an interview with Fox Sports News’ Sam Squires about her new documentary ‘Unbreakable’ which has hit cinemas.

Watch every ball of Australia v Pakistan ODI Series LIVE & exclusive to FOX CRICKET, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

Dokic shares her painstaking story of abuse at the hands of her father Damir – who regularly assaulted her and was jailed in Serbia in 2009 for threatening the Australian ambassador with a hand grenade – in the documentary, and in her conversation with Squires she opened up about the day she felt the wrath of her home fans at Rod Laver Arena.

The then 17-year-old entered the 2001 Australian Open off the back of making a sensational run to the Wimbledon semi-finals as well as donning the green and gold at the Sydney Olympics – where she lost the bronze medal match to Monica Seles – the year prior.

But Dokic was quickly embroiled in controversy as on the eve of her home slam, her father changed her allegiance to their native Yugoslavia.

He was banned from that tournament for abusive behaviour – as he was at many others – and the nationality change came about in part because of his anger that Dokic had been drawn to face three-time grand slam champion Lindsay Davenport – who defeated Dokic at Wimbledon the year before – in the opening round.

She walked onto Rod Laver Arena to a chorus of boos from Australian fans who felt betrayed and she struggled to relive the scenes from the match which number two seed Davenport won 4-6 6-4 6-3.

Davenport gives her own recount of that day in the documentary, and Dokic believes she still owes the American a lot more gratitude for the care she showed for her that day.

“The booing of 15,000 people and how much everyone was against me. It felt like two fires, a lose-lose scenario,” Dokic told Squires.

“If I didn’t do what he said, would I survive the beating in the hotel room when I got back? But I’d also get hammered by the media and the fans. It was so personally hard for me because I really love playing for Australia and it’s something I really wish never happened.

“That moment in the locker room after when (Lindsay) put her arm around me, and we cried every single time we saw that.

“To this day, I still haven’t – because I’m so touched by it and shy – fully thanked her for that moment in the locker room.”

The scathing response by Australian tennis fans still haunts Dokic to this day.

Her relationship with the Australian public turned around when she re-entered the spotlight with a run to the quarter-finals at the 2009 Australian Open.

She was once again representing Australia and won her first grand slam match in almost six years at Melbourne Park that week after her career has been derailed due to the toll taken by her father’s abusive ways.

Dokic escaped from his influence years prior but suffered from depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder and an eating disorder as a result of the horrific abuse she sustained.

During her comeback she felt the love from Australian fans, but she still felt like she could shake being tainted in the public eye by her father’s actions.

“I felt like I failed them, but it wasn’t me. I couldn’t tell them. I couldn’t tell anyone,” Dokic said to Squires of the Australian public.

“When I came back a few years later – yes, people accepted me then – but it was not the same. Everyone was cheering for me, but a lot of people still had doubts.

“It was not until my book came out – and even more so now with the documentary – (that people understood). It makes me cry because I hope that they see the love and passion and emotion that I have for Australia and for all my fans.”

Dokic was joined by co-writer of her autobiography Jessica Halloran, who also worked on the documentary, in the conversation with Squires and they took the opportunity to lament the media treatment she received during her tennis career.

Her father was a walking headline for Australian media outlets who reported heavily on his violent, aggressive behaviour at tennis tournaments.

Halloran believes that the media failed Dokic – particularly when she was still a child – and the fact her father received sponsorship deals as a recognisable figure was a disgrace.

“When I started in a newsroom in 2001, it was an open secret among the media that Jelena was being abused,” she said.

“At the same time, Damir was getting Kia contracts, the car company, and making money out of his outrageous, abusive behaviour.”

Dokic agreed, saying that her nightmare was played off for entertainment purposes and there was a severe lack of care showed for her and her younger brother Savo.

“The words used were ‘hilarious’. It was a headline but in a way of making fun of the whole situation,” she said.

“Journalists knew he was drunk, and he was always going to give them something.

“But that’s what we wanted to show. We wanted to show all of that footage – of which there is a lot of in the film – and show that it was anything but funny, or just a headline. That it was actually very concerning and dangerous.

“I was 16, and my brother was eight years younger, and no one for even one second – not one headline – said should we be concerned for these two underage kids going home with this person?”

Dokic released her autobiography ‘Unbreakable’ in 2017 and it quickly topped the Australian book charts.

She then published ‘Fearless: Finding the power to thrive’ – which was also co-written by Halloran – last year, and the documentary film based on her autobiography ‘Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story’ premiered in cinemas earlier this month to positive reviews.

Dokic found the process of telling her story confronting but therapeutic for her mental health, and she said the aim of the documentary, as well as her books, is to help others with their own battles.

“It saved my life through vulnerability, finding my voice and reclaiming my life. And feeling like I can actually make a difference,” she said.

“I can help others and I really want to create a legacy of I went against it when it wasn’t normal to stand up and speak up, and say these things, and hold my head high with my truth and my story.

“I did it actually for others. I say at the end of ‘Unbreakable’ that if it helps one person, it’s mission accomplished.”