Who Are Olga Danilovic’s Parents Sasha and Svetlana? Everything to Know about Their Legendary Sporting Legacy

It has been a dream run for the unseeded Serbian star, Olga Danilovic at the ongoing Australian Open. The 23-year-old defeated the seventh seed, Jessica Pegula in the third round to achieve her best result at the Grand Slam Down Under. Idolizing Novak Djokovic, Danilovic is aiming to dig deep in the tournament here. But do you know that her sporting ability was derived from her parents?

Danilovic comes from a sporting family and is the daughter of Serbian former basketball player Predrag Danilović ‘Sasha’, and a sports reporter for Radio Television of Serbia, Svetlana. Danilovic’s parents met at a basketball match in their teens and the two formed an instant connection. Sasha had a stellar basketball career and he was considered one of the best European shooting guards of the 1990s. Interestingly, he was the EuroLeague Final Four MVP in 1992, was voted Mister Europa Player of the Year in 1998, and was Italian League MVP the same year.

Additionally, Sasha also served basketball in other roles. In 2007, he was the president of Partizan, a club where he was a player for more than six years. On the other hand, Danilovic’s mother has been a sports presenter and a crucial pillar in her tennis career. She has widely supported Danilovic to reach the stage that she is now. During an interview, she once stated how her mother bought tickets after she lost in the final qualifying round of a tournament in the hope of gaining entry as a lucky loser.

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Danilovic stated, “After I lost the qualies, I was disappointed, but I lost to a good girl, so I was just thinking: “The next tournament is going to be mine. When I got that chance, I really took it. I really felt like. This is a chance. I got in, I should take this chance. I took it, and I am so proud of that. My mother bought the tickets to Belgrade, because lucky losers in these kind of events, it’s not that easy.”

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Additionally, Danilovic has also learned self-belief from her parents. During an interview at the Australian Open, Danilovic mentioned how crucial it was to stick to the process.

Olga Danilovic does not want to change anything

Danilovic, a predominantly clay-court player, is known for the slow start to her season. As a result, she has received much scrutiny for her performances on the hard courts in the early parts of the season. However, the Serbian sensation wants to stick to her tactics despite receiving widespread advice from the tennis world.

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During an interview, she revealed, “I wouldn’t change a thing. That’s what maturing looks like. Over time, I’ve heard plenty of opinions from all sorts of people—opinions I honestly didn’t care about. Since I was a kid, I’ve been told, ‘Now is the time,’ but nothing happens overnight. I’ve always worked hard and believed in myself.”

Amid her amazing Australian Open run, Danilovic is working hard on her physical fitness. Although she maintained that the hard courts are tough on her knees, she has recognized her limits and working toward them. After a morale-boosting win over Jessica Pegula, Danilovic will take on Paula Badosa for a place in the Australian Open quarterfinals.

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