Donna Vekić
A powerful Croatian tennis player who battled through the longest Wimbledon semifinal in history to claim an Olympic silver medal.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Croatian tennis player·Birthday: June 28·Millennials
Biography
Donna Vekić turned professional as a teenager, carrying the weight of expectation as a prodigy from Croatia. Her game, built on a formidable serve and flat, aggressive groundstrokes, promised major success, but her journey was one of resilience through injuries and pressure. The breakthrough came in a marathon of will at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. In a semifinal that stretched to a historic three hours and 51 minutes, the longest women's singles match in tournament history, she fought point for point before falling in a heartbreaker. Just weeks later, she channeled that disappointment into a stunning run at the Paris Olympics, powering past a series of top opponents to secure a silver medal for Croatia, cementing her status as a big-match competitor. Her career is a testament to persistence, finally cracking the world's top 20 by blending raw power with hardened mental fortitude.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Donna was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Donna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Donna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Olympic silver medal in women's singles at the 2024 Paris Summer Games.
- Reached the semifinals of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, contesting the longest women's singles match in the tournament's history.
- Achieved a career-high singles ranking of World No. 17 in January 2025.
- Has won multiple WTA Tour titles, including the Nottingham Open on grass.
Did You Know?
She was coached by former Russian tennis star Nikolay Davydenko for several years.
She made her Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup) debut for Croatia at the age of 15.
She is an ambassador for the charity 'Mladi u Akciji' (Youth in Action) in Croatia.
“I play every point like it's my last, with nothing held back.”
