Silver Linings

MY EYES WELLED UP and my heart was racing faster than during any rally point. My mind choked with emotions as I saw the Croatian flag being raised on the Court Philippe-Chatrier. Did I really do it? I saw my life as a tennis player flash in front of my eyes.

When I picked up a racket at age six, I was a tiny girl from an even tinier place called Osijek in Croatia. But what I had was a big dream—to be the best in the world. And luckily for me, my parents and family shared the same—if not bigger—sentiment. After 12 years on tour, having broken into the top 100 at the age of 16, I can safely say that tennis has given me the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

Most would agree that tennis is one of the toughest sports. You find yourself sleeping in a new bed every week, many miles and time zones away from your friends and family. Given the individuality of the sport, there is only one winner every week, leaving most players dejected at the end of the week, despite having reached the penultimate stages of the tournament. What I found most demanding was that the surface under our feet changed every few months—from hard courts to clay to grass and back to hard courts. Yet the expectations, intensity, and competitiveness remained immutable.

I was unfortunately plagued by a series of injuries throughout my career that seemed to squash my mental resilience more than my physical body. There were several times when I thought that my body could no longer keep up with my desire to fulfill my dreams and aspirations. However, something in me felt like there was something bigger on the horizon. I am forever indebted to the people who nudged me along, pushing me to try one more time. If that "one more time" had not happened a few years ago, I do not think I would be in a position to be writing this today.

Even though tennis has always been a priority, I have a lot of passions and interests off the tennis court. It has been three years since I launched my own brand—DNNA—which specialises in producing candles and diffusers. As I was always traveling and changing hotels, somehow a well-scented room gave me a sense of security and made me feel happier. That was when I knew I wanted to create a scent that enveloped these emotions. I am also deeply fascinated by entrepreneurship, fashion, and design. These are unexplored passions that I hope to delve deeper into once my career on the court comes to a close.

But, all said and done, I do not think I would trade these years for anything else. Tennis and this gruelling career have tested me to my limits at some points but also given me the best days I could ever dream of. It has made me into the strongest version of myself, made me so grateful for the people who have stuck by my side through the roughest of times, and made me discover so many shrouded truths about myself through this journey.

I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon, but I do want others to share what I have been through. I want others to feel these emotions. And most importantly, I want other kids in Croatia to pick up a racket and dream that they too can achieve greatness. For this very reason, my family and I have decided to construct four public courts in our hometown. I hope that my story, though still incomplete, inspires others in some way, however big or small.

Donna Vekić  is a Croatian professional tennis player. She achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 17 on 27 January 2025.

By Donna Vekić

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