Overview

• The Croatian Tennis Federation announced Pilic died on Monday in Croatia, with reports differing on his age (86 or 87) and the town (Rijeka or Opatija).
• Pilic is the only captain to have led three nations to Davis Cup titles, guiding Germany (1988, 1989, 1993), Croatia (2005) and Serbia (2010).
• He ran a Munich academy that shaped top players, including a young Novak Djokovic, who has called Pilic his 'tennis father'.
• As a player, he reached the 1973 French Open final, won the 1970 US Open doubles title, and his 1973 suspension helped trigger the ATP-backed Wimbledon boycott.
• He captained Germany’s Davis Cup team from 1987 to 1996 and later advised the German Tennis Federation, drawing tributes from officials and Boris Becker.