A former Serbian tennis player, Slobodan Živojinović, who reached the semifinals of the 1986 championships, claimed that he and Princess Diana started ‘hanging out and seeing each other’ in the late Eighties.
He said the pair became ‘extremely close’ after she watched him play at SW19.
The 59-year-old claimed that the late Princess would sit closer to the court to be near him. He felt honored to have Diana rooting for him.
They met before his match in 1987, when he was ranked 19th in the world, and they grew close in the late 1980s.
He recalled that they had discussed his rapid serve and then began seeing each other. Mr. Živojinović spoke to a Serbian newspaper, Kurir, last year.
They met a week before Wimbledon in 1987. He was playing in a tennis match for a charity she supported. Diana, who was still married to Prince Charles then, asked him if he was the tennis player with the most vital serve.
Mr. Živojinović was known for his powerful serve, often attributed to his six foot six inches height and muscly thighs.
He then continued: The following year, an exhibition match was held, and she attended again. During this visit, she inquired about the quality of my service, which led to us spending more time together and becoming close.
We bonded over our children, as my son Filip shares the same birthday as Prince Harry. Diana was a wonderful person with whom I could have regular conversations. Her greatness was in her ability to communicate ordinarily. I was surprised by how natural she was as a woman.
The late Princess and I had long conversations focusing on everyday things and our children.
She rooted for me, and I was honored that she chose to watch my matches from the stands.
I was happy to have such a woman’s support. She loved how I played and carried myself on the court and everything that went with it.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Princess Diana regularly attended Wimbledon and was frequently seen in the exclusive Royal Box.
This year, Princess Kate was spotted at the tournament on day two, sitting alongside tennis legend Roger Federer for one of the matches.
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