"We've spent almost every week together on Tour, so it's good to have a close friend" - Donna Vekic on Borna Coric

Croatian tennis player Donna Vekic called fellow Croat Borna Coric a 'close friend' and mentioned that it was good to have him on tour alongside her.

The two players have known each other since their junior playing days and have seen each other's rise in the sport.

In an exclusive interview with ATP, the duo were asked if they remembered their first meeting. Coric pointed out that Vekic was 'arrogant' in their junior days and didn't like her much.

“I remember her, we were playing under-10s in Zagreb. I didn’t like her much back then actually, back then she was very nervous, very arrogant as well, but now she changed. So, I’m just enjoying spending time here with her and the whole team,” Borna Coric said.

Vekic responded by saying that that she was not arrogant and continued by reflecting on their decade-long friendship.

“I don’t remember being arrogant! We’ve been friends for a very long time, and I think it’s maybe the last couple of years that we are even closer than before. We’ve spent almost every week together on Tour [over the years] so it’s good to have a close friend,” Donna Vekic said.

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"I'm just happy to see her do well" - Borna Coric on Donna Vekic

Borna Coric reacts in his semi-final match against Denis Shapovalov

Borna Coric and Donna Vekic had a solid 2022 season, with Coric winning the Cincinnati Masters and Vekic reaching the finals at the San Diego Open, eventually losing to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a tight setter.

In the same interview, Borna Coric mentioned that it was nice to see Vekic performing at her best on the court again after her return from knee surgery in 2021.

“I’m just happy to see her do well,” said Coric. “She had a very, very tough year with the knee, and I had a very tough year with the shoulder, so obviously I’m super happy to see that she is doing well as well.”

Donna Vekic returned the compliment and revealed that she too was happy for her friend after his shoulder injury in 2021 and having success on the court.

“It’s great when we have success together, but we also went through a very difficult time in our careers, almost at the same time," added Vekic. With my knee surgery, his shoulder surgery. It was great to have each other during that time, and now we are back together playing and that’s even more enjoyable,” she said.