The 38-year-old – who regularly posts on social media about the importance of mental health – revealed she was “not in a good place” to connect with fans, posting a lengthy message on Instagram to explain to her followers what’s going on.

“I’m sure you all have noticed that I’ve been absent from social media for a while now,” Dokic wrote. “Thank you for all the messages that matter to me and care about me. I really appreciate it.

“I am going through a very difficult period in my life right now and a big change and I just need some time to recover, heal and process the pain and trauma I am experiencing.

“I know a lot of you have written to me and I haven’t answered but I just know I see your messages and appreciate them a lot but I’m not in a good place right now to reply and communicate with you all like I usually do and I’m sorry for that.

Same goes for posting so I’m going to be off Instagram for a little while longer. I know many of you look forward to my posts and find a lot of inspiration in them and I’m so sorry I can’t provide that for you right now.

“And to those who have told me this in person and stopped me in the street to tell me how much I and my posts have inspired you, thank you. Please know that I love you all and am so grateful for all your support and love.

“To my friends and people close to me who know what I’m going through, I thank you for all your love and attention. I don’t know what I would have done without you and you know who you are.”

“I’ll be back and I’ll come back stronger than ever even if I don’t feel like it now but I’ll be back. I’m always there and I know the sun will rise again. Thank you for your understanding.”

Dokic has repeatedly spoken courageously about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, Damir. The former world number four revealed that she suffered physical abuse as a child and teen almost every time her father was upset with her performance on the tennis court.

In her autobiography 2017. UnbreakableWriting with journalist Jessica Halloran, Dokic said the beating was part of a systematic pattern of abuse by the man previously called “tennis daddy from hell”.

After Ash Party won Wimbledon earlier this year, Dokic became emotional on live TV as she praised the role her Queensland parents played in raising her to become a role model.

“I just want to get this out before I collapse. Give me 15 seconds,” Dokic said in July.

“I want to give a shout out to her parents, obviously Josie and Rob, because people underestimate family. She talks about it all the time.

“And as someone who has not had that support, it is very important. This will be an example to parents in Australia and around the world, not only in how to raise a champion but a truly wonderful human being.

“This is how you support them. You don’t put pressure on them, you are there for them and that is why you are there, big cries to them, well done.”

Dokic’s voice vibrates briefly during her monologue and it is clear that her tragic past was behind her feelings.

About six weeks ago, Dokic revealed on Instagram that she had started a “big project, something I’m very excited about and something I think can help a lot of people”. She called it “Unbreakable 2.0,” suggesting it’s related to her autobiography and past.