Ex-Wimbledon semi-finalist hits back at disgusting abuse she received for losing 20kg
Social media users targeted a former tennis star for posting about her weight loss journey.
Former Australian tennis star Jelena Dokic has hit back at trolls after she was targeted online for losing 20 kilograms of weight.
Dokic has spoken openly throughout her career, both on the court and since entering the world of punditry, about her struggles with depression and body shaming.
The 41-year-old has called for people to unite and be accepting of all body images and she has been the driving force behind campaigns of that nature. However, the Australian has now come under significant criticism recently from those claiming that she had caved into the demands of ‘diet culture’.
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Claims were made that Dokic, who reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2020, had decided not to ‘represent plus size people anymore', but she has now hit back at those claims in a heartfelt Instagram post.
She wrote: “It’s not good if you gain weight and it’s not good if you lose weight. It’s not good if you are a size 0,10 or 18 it seems. Whether I gain weight, lose weight, depressed, feel great, go through the good or the bad. I am always honest about both sides. So I thought I would just quickly address my recent weight loss because a few people have written to me and also commented.
“I have lost 20 kilos from my heaviest weight last year. I had some health issues but also I just wanted to get healthier and fitter and when I turned 40 last year I really started to think about my family history of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems.”
Dokic went on to speak of how she decided to live a healthier lifestyle due to how she needed to be able to cope with the demands of her work. She continued: "Also, my work has increased dramatically and I needed to be fitter both physically and mentally and have more energy. I didn’t have enough energy especially mentally to keep up. I needed to eat healthier to achieve that.
“Now since a few people have already jumped on the judgement and shame train for my weight loss and said that I have succumbed to the ‘diet culture’ and don’t represent the plus size people anymore please don’t even go there.
“Getting healthier and doing what is best for me has nothing to do with it and I have always and always will stand up for both size 0 or size 20 people and especially women. It was always about not judging, shaming and bullying people no matter what their weight and size is and instead highlighting that kindness is what matters not our size.”
The post has been well-received by Dokic’s 219,000 Instagram supporters, with messages of support flying in after her lengthy post.
