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Game, Set, Match: Jelena Dokic Steps Up and Serves Her Most Empowered Era Yet

There are few Australian sporting figures whose stories feel as visceral, as raw, or as enduring as that of Jelena Dokic.

For tennis fans, Dokic’s name still sparks memories of that seismic Wimbledon upset in 1999, when a fearless 16-year-old wildcard dismantled world number one Martina Hingis. It was a moment that felt like a clean ace — unexpected, exhilarating and impossible to ignore. A star had arrived. But as the years unfolded, it became clear that the real match was being played far from Centre Court.

Behind the powerful groundstrokes and global rankings was a life marked by control, fear and abuse — a reality Dokic would later bring into the light with unflinching honesty. Where many might have retreated, she chose instead to return serve. Through her memoirs, advocacy and public work, Dokic has reframed her narrative, transforming personal trauma into a platform for empowerment, awareness and change.

Today, Dokic stands as a powerful advocate, bestselling author and public voice for resilience, self-worth and survival. And now, she’s stepping into a new arena — one where fashion becomes another form of empowerment.

Which is precisely why Melbourne-born fashion label Motto Fashions has chosen Dokic as the face of its new limited-edition athleisure collection, Motto Movement. Launching exclusively online on 19 January 2026, the collection marks a natural alignment between brand and ambassador. One rooted not in aesthetics alone, but in shared values of confidence, comfort and unapologetic self-expression.

Founded in 1985, Motto Fashions has long carved out a space beyond fleeting trends and unrealistic standards. Under the leadership of CEO Lauren French, the brand continues its legacy of designing clothing that works with women, not against them. The Motto Movement Collection feels like a continuation of that philosophy. Of elevated athleisure designed to move through real life, not just Instagram feeds.

Comprising 17 pieces, the collection blends sporty sophistication with everyday versatility. Think streamlined jackets, polished hoodies, sporty suit sets and effortless staples like dresses, skirts, camis and relaxed separates that can be worn from the court to the cafe — and well beyond. It’s activewear reimagined with a cool-girl sensibility, where comfort doesn’t cancel out confidence, and style doesn’t require compromise.

There’s a quiet defiance embedded in the collection’s ethos. This is clothing designed to be lived in — not hidden in, not endured. It invites women to feel strong, comfortable and entirely themselves, wherever the day takes them. And that sentiment echoes Dokic’s own evolution. Of a woman who has learned, through unimaginable adversity, what it means to inhabit her body on her own terms.

Dokic has previously worked with Motto Fashions. And her return as the face of the Movement campaign feels intentional rather than transactional. She represents movement not just in the physical sense, but emotional, psychological and personal. Forward motion. Healing motion. The choice to keep showing up.

As an advocate for body confidence and mental health, Dokic’s presence within the campaign reframes athleisure as more than just a trend. Instead, it becomes a statement — that women deserve to feel supported, powerful and comfortable in their skin, without apology. That fashion can be functional and expressive at the same time. That strength doesn’t always look loud.

And that’s where Dokic’s presence truly elevates the campaign. She represents a woman who has learned how to reset after a tough set, how to regroup when momentum shifts, and how to keep her eye on the baseline even when life throws unexpected shots. Her story reminds us that confidence isn’t something you’re handed — it’s something you build, one choice at a time.

Marie-Antoinette Issa: Marie-Antoinette Issa is the Beauty & Lifestyle Editor for The Carousel, Women Love Tech and Women Love Travel. She has worked across news and women's lifestyle magazines and websites including Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Madison, Concrete Playground, The Urban List and Daily Mail, I Quit Sugar and Huffington Post.