Iva Majoli Opens Up About Business Collapse: 'I Made a Ton of Mistakes'
On her 49th birthday, Iva Majoli candidly discusses the ups and downs after her tennis career, from the bankruptcy of a tennis center and divorce to new love and life in Milan.
On her 49th birthday, Iva Majoli candidly discusses the ups and downs after her tennis career, from the bankruptcy of a tennis center and divorce to new love and life in Milan.
Iva Majoli, Croatian tennis legend and 1997 Roland Garros champion, does not shy away from the topics that have marked her life off the court on her 49th birthday. In a candid conversation on the Podcast Inkubator, the former world No. 4 spoke about business failures, a failed marriage, and the challenges she faced after hanging up her racket.
The Zagreb native won eight WTA titles in her career, with the crowning achievement coming in 1997 on the clay of Paris. In the final, she defeated then-world No. 1 Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-2, who had an incredible 37-0 record that season. On her way to the trophy, Majoli defeated Sandra Kleinová, Alexandra Fusai, Ann Grossman-Wunderlich, Lindsay Davenport, Ruxandra Dragomir, and Amanda Coetzer.
However, after retiring in 2004, a period of entirely different challenges followed. One of her biggest business ventures was a tennis center in Zagreb's Cmrok neighborhood, which ended in bankruptcy with a debt of 59 million kuna. The center was sold just over five years ago for 22.2 million kuna.
Majoli did not hide her disappointment but also took responsibility for her own mistakes. "You try to do things you don't know... I made a ton of mistakes, and a lot of money went down the drain," she admitted openly.
Despite everything, she emphasizes that she came out stronger and ready for new beginnings. "You can spit on me, but I always say, I did this to myself, and I'm moving on! I keep creating, and I am valuable; with my knowledge and experience, I can do much more in some things. In my opinion, that's life," the former tennis player said.
Her personal life was not without turbulence either. She was married to businessman Stipe Marić for six years, with whom she has a daughter, Mia, now 20. Their relationship was marked by mutual accusations and disputes, and the marriage finally ended in 2012.
She found new happiness ten years later. In 2022, she married Italian businessman Roberto Calegari, with the wedding held in Milan. Today, she lives in that Italian city, along with her daughter Mia.
In addition to business and personal challenges, Majoli also bid farewell to another important role. For a full 12 years, she served as the captain of the Croatian women's team in the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly the Fed Cup. Her tenure ended in March of the year before last, when Marin Bradarić was appointed as her successor.
Although the team had sunk to the Second Group in the Euro-African Zone by the end of her leadership, Majoli is also remembered for engagements such as the United Cup in Australia, where she was alongside Croatian tennis players.
