VIDEO SHOWS: DAVIS CUP TRIBUTE TO THE LATE NIKOLA PILIC WITH COMMENTS FROM NOVAK DJOKOVIC, BORIS BECKER AND IVAN LJUBICIC SHOWS: BOLOGNA, ITALY (NOVEMBER 19, 2025) (ITF – Access all) 1. SIX-TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER, BORIS BECKER, WALKING OUT FOLLOWED BY 24-TIME CHAMPION, NOVAK DJOKOVIC 2. CROWD APPLAUDING TRIBUTE TO FIVE-TIME DAVIS CUP WINNING CAPTAIN, NIKOLA PILIC 3. DJOKOVIC AND BECKER APPLAUDING 4. DAVIS CUP TROPHY 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 24-TIME CHAMPION, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, SAYING (SOUNDBITE CUTS TO SHOT 6 AND BACK TO SHOT 5): "Obviously, this is a very sad moment for us, for me personally, but it’s also a celebration of Niki Pilic’s name and his greatness, everything he did and how he contributed to tennis on the whole and also to me personally, my career and my life. He was my tennis father. That’s what I like to call Niki." 6. WIDE OF DJOKOVIC SPEAKING 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 24-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, NOVAK DJOKOVIC, SAYING (SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAYS SHOTS 8-10): "This is a moment of mixed emotions for me, to be honest. When I received the news, obviously, when we all received the news, it was for me, it was one of the saddest moments because Niki was so instrumental in my life, in my career, and in the careers of all the gentlemen that (are) here on the court. And I must say that there is no better setting than Davis Cup to celebrate the legacy of Niki Pilic, who will probably remain as the only Davis Cup captain in the history of this most historic and most important team competition in tennis. To be winning the Davis Cup with three different nations – Germany, Croatia and Serbia – this is an incredible feat that will most likely never be repeated again. So, from my heart. Thank you, Niki. Thank you for the family for being here. And you will always be remembered. Niki. We love you." 8. CLOSE-UP OF DJOKOVIC SPEAKING 9. PILIC'S WIDOW AND DAUGHTER LISTENING TO DJOKOVIC 10. DJOKOVIC SPEAKING 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SIX-TIME GRAND SLAM WINNER, BORIS BECKER, SAYING "If you want to explain the importance Niki Pilic has for German tennis, we would need a couple of days to explain. German tennis wouldn't have happened without this man. He was not only my captain, our captain, he was also my coach. I learned so much about the sport than I have learned from anybody else. And when we had the idea to celebrate this great champion, on and off the court, I was very happy to come and to call up my teammates who are standing behind and everybody thought about 5 minutes to join us here. So, thank you very much. This is for Niki Pilic. We love and we miss you." 12. BECKER HANDING MICROPHONE BACK 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 2005 DAVIS CUP WINNER WITH CROATIA, IVAN LJUBICIC, SAYING (SOUNDBITE CUTS BETWEEN SHOTS 13 AND 14): "For me, Niki was the captain. As a person he was much more than just a tennis figure. He was the father of all Croatian tennis, of all of us, I’m including myself and speaking on behalf of the entire Croatian team. He was the one who showed us the way. Goran Ivanisevic before me, then Mario Ancic after me. And when he decided to return to Croatia and take charge of the team and lead us to the title, it was the greatest thrill of our lives." 14. WIDE OF LJUBICIC SPEAKING 15. MEMBERS OF PILIC'S DAVIS CUP WINNING TEAMS POSING FOR PHOTO WITH HIS FAMILY AND FIVE TROPHIES 16. VARIOUS OF PILIC'S FORMER PLAYERS AND HIS FAMILY WALKING OFF COURT AS PERIMETRE BOARDS READ 'Thank you Niki' IN ENGLISH AND CROATIAN STORY: Novak Djokovic and Boris Becker were among a host of tennis stars who paid tribute to the late Nikola Pilic at the Davis Cup in Bologna on Wednesday (November 19). Pilic, who mentored 24-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic as a boy at his German academy, passed away in September aged 86. In his playing days, Croatia's Pilic was runner-up at the French Open in 1973 and after turning to coaching captained Germany to three Davis Cup titles between 1988 and 1993. He went on to lead his home country to the title in 2005 as well as Djokovic's Serbia in 2010. (Production: Andy Ragg, Conal Quinn)
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