| Country | Yugoslavia |
|---|---|
| Residence | Munich, Germany |
| Born | 27 August 1939 Split, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Croatia) |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Turned pro | N/A |
| Retired | 1978 |
| Plays | Left-handed |
| Career prize money | N/A |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 210–168 |
| Career titles | 3 |
| Highest ranking | 12 (31 October 1973) |
| Grand Slam results | |
| Australian Open | 3r (1970) |
| French Open | F (1973) |
| Wimbledon | 4r (1976) |
| US Open | QF (1973) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 143–134 |
| Career titles | 6 |
| Highest ranking | n/a |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1970) |
| French Open | 4r (1969) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1975) |
| US Open | W (1970) |
| Last updated on: 2008. | |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for Yugoslavia | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Mediterranean Games | ||
| Gold | 1963 Naples | Doubles |
| Universiade | ||
| Gold | 1961 Sofia | Doubles |
| Silver | 1961 Sofia | Singles |
Nikola "Niki" Pilić (born 27 August 1939) is a retired Croatian professional tennis player who competed for SFR Yugoslavia. He was one of the Handsome Eight.
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Pilić was born in Split to Krsto Pilić and Danica Tomić-Ferić just before the outbreak of World War II, in what was then Littoral Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Young Nikola took up tennis during the summer of 1952.[1] Thirteen years of age at this point, he began practicing on the clay courts of Firule tennis club in parallel to studying shipbuilding at the streamlined high school in Split. Upon graduating he attempted to enroll at a community college (viša škola) in Zagreb, but due to not meeting the entrance criteria ended up in Novi Sad where he studied administration (viša upravna škola).
Pilić was central to the 1973 Wimbledon Boycott. That year the Yugoslav tennis federation alleged that Pilić had refused to represent them in a Davis Cup tie. Pilić denied the charge, but was suspended by the federation, and the suspension was upheld by the ILTF, meaning that he could not enter major tournaments. In protest at the suspension, 81 of Pilić's fellow professionals, including 12 of the 16 seeds, withdrew from the Wimbledon championship.
After retiring, Pilić began coaching and became the first captain to win the Davis Cup trophy for three different nations: Germany in 1988, 1989 and 1993, Croatia in 2005 and Serbia in 2010. He's been working with Serbia Davis Cup team in the advisor role since 2007, and have one Davis Cup title 2010.
He runs a tennis academy in Oberschleißheim near Munich where he resides, working with young professional players like Ernests Gulbis. In the past players such as Michael Stich and Novak Đoković came through the Pilic academy.
In 1970, Pilić married Serbian actress Mija Adamović.[2] The couple have children together.[3]
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1973 | French Open | Ilie Năstase | 6–3, 6–3, 6–0 |
| Year | Championship | Partnering | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
| 1970 | U.S. Open | Pierre Barthès | Roy Emerson & Rod Laver |
6–3, 7–6, 4–6, 7–6 |
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