The 2024 Wimbledon is as unexpected as any Grand Slam tournament. We’ve got big names like Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff packing their bags early while rising stars like Lulu Sun have outshone themselves as quarter-finalists. Another surprising name is Donna Vekic, who is making her debut in a Grand Slam semifinal. But what is the reason behind her rapid rise? Is it just the addition of Pam Shriver? Did Vekic make more changes to her team to flourish at Wimbledon? 

The Croatian player has shown her best performance in a Grand Slam to date, with her quarterfinal showdown against New Zealand’s Lulu Sun turning out to be a fantastic clash as she made a comeback after the first set went to her rival. Winning with 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, she proved her newfound potential to keep up, even during pressure situations.

This was only made possible because of the massive support that sits in the player’s box beside her. Along with Pam Shriver, who brings a wealth of experience to Vekic’s game, there are others who play specific roles. Recently, former pro Andrea Petkovic revealed that Vekic has added a mental coach to her team. Petkovic shared, “Just because you bring Donna up, I just met Eva Majoli in the locker room. She’s the Billie Jean King Cup captain and she said to me just now, I have a feeling Donna can make the finals. She’s different than usual.”

“She has had the experience of choking in big occasions and major stages. She got herself a mental coach and she seems completely changed.” An injury and knee surgery from 2021 made her think that her career was over, but Vekic persevered. While not much is known about this coach and when he was hired, the Croatian player has turned over a new leaf.

Another important member of Vekic‘s team is Nikola Horvat, a Croatian tennis coach who has played a massive role in her rise. Horvat previously coached Vekic from 2016 to 2017, during which she climbed from world No. 109 to a then-career-high WTA singles ranking of No. 45.

With a well-rounded team gathered around to power one player, it is time that Donna Vekic’s position takes a massive hike. Despite the support being firm, heat finds its way during intense situations, and this happened with this team as well.

Donna Vekic narrates the story behind being “angry” at her coaches

The initial moments of Donna Vekic’s quarter-final showdown were quite heavy on her. Her rival from New Zealand continued to dominate, finally getting the first set. While the new rule book allows in-game coaching, and the team decided to do so, the Croatian found it hard to remember any productive takeaways from it.

“I told them to shut up five times during the match. Probably not. But it’s also nice when I reach out to them, that I can reach out in case I need help. I know that they’re always there,” she said, mentioning how it was not one of those moments when she needed their guidance.

Although Vekic found herself in a troublesome situation, she still managed to hop from the hurdle. Now that another awaits her entry in the semi-finals, it would be nothing less than a test of her levels as she looks to overcome Jasmine Paolini.