‘Viktorija‘ is a female name that is derived from the Latin word, ‘Victoria‘, meaning ‘victory’. Whenever one hears this name, one gets reminded of the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Viktorija Golubic. Known for her impressive career, including a Wimbledon quarterfinal and Olympic silver, the 31-year-old is set to battle Jessica Pegula in Paris. Before the match, let’s explore the origins of her unique name(roots).

Golubic represents Switzerland on the maps of the tennis world. However, her ethnicity is a mix of Serbian and Croatian heritage. According to various reports, her father, Ignacije was born in Kotoriba, a small town in Croatia that is quite near to Zagreb. However, her mother, Vucica is from Belgrade, Serbia, but now they have acquired Swiss citizenship. Her parents played a crucial role in recognizing her talent in the racquet sport at a very early age.

Since then, they have been always there to support their daughter pursue her dreams of becoming a professional tennis player. Her parents used to drive her to practice grounds and then they were also spotted cheering for their daughter during her matches. With the support of her parents, Golubic has now become a successful tennis player, winning multiple titles in her career. With the best career ranking in singles of 35, she’s currently ranked 79th in the world.

Golubic was born and raised in Zurich, Switzerland. She has three siblings named Natalija, Kristijan, and David, but she is the youngest among all. Even her siblings have supported her a lot throughout her career. The family comprises avid sports lovers and her mixed ethnicity used to put her in trouble while supporting a single nation at sporting events.

“I am neutral” – Viktorija Golubic reflects a bit on her mixed ethnicity

Although Golubic has a mixed ethnicity, her strong connection with Switzerland is vividly portrayed. All when people see her name among the rarest of the WTA players who have excelled in the art of the one-handed-backhand. Her favorite player is Monica Seles, who once represented both Yugoslavia and the United States. Once when Golubic was asked to reflect a bit on her roots, she stated,

“We have never lost the connection with our culture.” She further went on to reveal, “In the family, we have always spoken our native language, a mix of Serbian and Croatian, and we have also protected our culture by visiting our relatives almost every year. We made it and I am proud of it.”

Golubic even admitted that she initially had tough times cheering for one nation at the soccer competitions. She used to root for all three teams, i.e. Switzerland, Serbia, and Croatia, but now she says, “I am neutral.” Can Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic create yet another historical record at the Olympics?