Dokic is a former WTA player who has described receiving physical and verbal abuse during her career from her father, Damir, in her autobiography, and said she was emotional as she watched the video.
“It was just sickening to watch as someone who’s been through it. I know what that feels like. I know what that looks like,” the Croatian-born Aussie told the Australian TV program Today.
She also recalled an especially brutal episode she experienced as a 16-year-old on tour.
“I was actually kicked until I was unconscious a week before the US Open,” said Dokic. “And it wasn’t the only time.”
She hopes that this recent, visible incident will spur tennis organizations to take more steps to prevent such abuse, which some of her fellow players have also spoken of experiencing.
“Unfortunately, it had to get to this and be filmed for this long for us to be able to see what that actually looks like. But now we need to do something about this,” said Dokic.