Dokic Attacked in Croatia

Blaming Jelena Dokic for anything her father says seems the height of absurdity.

From The  Herald Sun: Jelena race attack

JELENA Dokic has been racially abused by a group of Croatian men in an ugly confrontation allegedly linked to inflammatory remarks made by her estranged father, Damir.

Former world No.4 Dokic, boyfriend Tin Bikic and coach Borna Bikic were surrounded by an angry gang in Zagreb, Croatia, after a training session.
The group allegedly jostled the Australian Olympian and made a string of anti-Serbian comments before throwing fruit juice at the former star, Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List reported yesterday.

Dokic Changing Coaches Again

I officially, once and for all, give up any hope of Jelena Dokic ever returning to tennis form.  This girl just can't stick to a plan.

From Eurosport: Dokic leaves coach again

Fallen tennis star Jelena Dokic has left her tennis academy in Munich for the second time in month, and this time she has revealed she has no intention of returning.

Instead Dokic has decided to return to her former coach Borna Bikic in Croatia, the brother of her boyfriend Tin Bikic...

Dokic's Dad Claims Jelena Kidnapped

This is so out of hand...

From Tennis Week: Jelena Dokic Disappears; Father Charges Kidnapping

Another bizarre chapter in the continuing saga of Jelena Dokic is unfolding as Dokic disappeared on a trip to Zagreb and the the former World No. 4's father, the controversial Damir Dokic, claims his daughter's former coach and ex-boyfriend may have kidnapped his daughter...

"I'm very worried for my daughter," Damir Dokic told Kurir in comments published by Eurosport. "Jelena will never admit that she was kidnapped or made to stay in Zagreb, but I think it is crystal clear that the Bikic brothers are behind all this."

Quotes: Everybody Loves Roger Federer; Arthur Ashe, Damir Dokic

Came across some quote collections on wikipedia: Everyone from Mcenroe to Lendl to Agassi waxing poetic about Roger, some lovely thoughts from Arthur Ashe, and some WTFs from Jelena Dokic's crazy father.

Dokic's Dad Really is Nuts

It's no wonder Jelena Dokic has a few issues.  I can't even imagine what it was like growing up in this atmosphere.

From The Australian: Damir haunts Jelena with mad kidnap plan

LIKE a character in a B-grade movie, Damir Dokic has returned to haunt his tennis-playing daughter just as she thought she had escaped his clutches.

In an interview with a Serbian newspaper, Mr Dokic is quoted threatening to have the "brainwashed" Jelena kidnapped by war criminals.

He muses about killing at least one Australian in revenge for his daughter having returned to play in Australia and of wiping out Sydney with a nuclear bomb because of a supposedly bad linecall in her comeback match at the Australian Open on Monday.

In a level-headed response, Jelena yesterday said it was not the first time her father had threatened her wellbeing and she would resist his attempt to again disrupt her life.

Stubbs Sympathizes with Dokic, But Has Harsh Words for Her

From the Sydney Morning Herald: Angry Stubbs depicts Dokic as abused and abusing

JELENA Dokic's return to Australia last month after a five-year estrangement was not greeted with unqualified joy. Certainly not by Rennae Stubbs, a former Fed Cup teammate who had been through more with her than most.

Stubbs says she supported Dokic to help counter her father's brutal ways, advising her to seek help to protect her money from Damir's grasping hands, and changing her schedule to partner the troubled teenager at the Canadian Open before the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Stubbs, then the world No.1 in doubles, recalls arriving in Montreal only to be told by Damir - as a reluctant Jelena interpreted - that his daughter had been injured in her first-round singles loss and would be returning home to Florida.

Dokic Out of Canberra

Jelena Dokic would be a lot better off without that Australian Open wildcard.  She's in no kind of physical or mental shape - anyone with half a brain would bet the farm on her losing in the first round.  Australian or Serbian - she needs to hit the challenger circuit hard below the media radar for a while.

From Reuters: Dokic out of Canberra tournament

Jelena Dokic's comeback has suffered another blow with the former top 10 player pulling out of next week's Canberra International.

Organisers said Dokic had been forced to withdraw due to the recurrence of an injury to the left adductor muscle in her groin.

Tournament director Gerard Corradini said Dokic had told him the injury had been aggravated after her first round loss in Auckland earlier this week.

"When we spoke today, Jelena was clearly disappointed that she wouldn't be able to play in Canberra," Corradini said.

"With the right treatment, she is quite confident she will be right for the Australian Open, which starts in 11 days time, and is her focus."

Dokic Warned by Tennis Australia

From The Herald Sun:  Dokic warned over coaches

TENNIS Australia will continue its coaching support of Jelena Dokic despite her split from coach Lesley Bowrey.

Dokic, 22, almost certainly will be invited to join the Fed Cup squad or Australian Institute of Sport squad from February 1.

Inclusion in either group attracts coaching backing under TA's player development pathway.

But Dokic will be told there are no exceptions to TA's support criteria in the wake of her fallout with Bowrey, who is on TA's payroll.

"It's a two-way street between Tennis Australia and the players," TA director of player development Craig Tiley said yesterday.

"If players go to a tournament where we do not have any of our four coaches and they want a coach to accompany them, the player is expected to make a contribution.

"There are no exceptions.

"I have not heard from Jelena's mouth the reason why Lesley did not go to Auckland with her.

"I will sit down with Jelena in Canberra next week and the whole thing will be clarified. From those discussions, I hope to have an understanding of where Jelena sees herself in the player development pathway."

Dokic Ends Short-Term Coaching Relationship for Financial Reasons

You just get the feeling that Jelena Dokic doesn't know how serious she is about this comeback.  But as long as she hires a coach in the near future, no harm done.  Dokic must realize that she doesn't have the mental strength right now to do everything on her own - Roger Federer she's not.

But the article is a little unfair about her financial situation.  Whatever "lucrative endorsement deals" she had in the past, they've ended and who knows how much of her prize money earnings ended up in her father's pocket and not her own.

From the Sydney Morning Herald: Going it alone, tearful Dokic at a loss - on and off the court

JELENA Dokic will make her Australian comeback without a coach, having parted ways with her on-off mentor Lesley Bowrey ahead of next week's Canberra International - Dokic's last chance for matchplay before the grand slam year begins at Melbourne Park on January 16.

Dokic's brief reunion with her former coach has ended, apparently for financial reasons, just as the re-adopted Australian yesterday failed to proceed beyond the first round in Auckland...

Dokic Loses in First Round in New Zealand

Confidence and fitness.  If Jelena Dokic has the determination and patience to stick it out she can get both back, but she seems to take this losing awfully hard.

From sportal.com.au: Dokic down in Auckland

Jelena Dokic has bounced out of the ASB Classic in Auckland after a scrappy performance against unseeded German Julia Schruff.

Dokic looked to be cruising to victory after securing the first set 7-5 with little trouble.

Dokic Talks About Comeback

From the New Zealand Herald: Dokic enjoying comeback trail

"My first aim is to get back into the top 100," said Dokic after arriving in Auckland yesterday to prepare for next week's ASB Classic. "If I play well maybe I can reach the top 50 by the end of the year - but, it could be better or worse."

While she does not yet have a firm tournament schedule, Dokic said she expected to play between 20 and 25 tournaments.

"That's what I played before," said Dokic in a passing reference to her former tennis-playing life. "More importantly, I have the will to play again. I want to play, I want to win.

"Before I took my break, my head was not there. I had a lot of problems in the last three years."

Not surprisingly, Dokic sees herself in much the same light as Mary Pierce and Jennifer Capriati who both fought back from off-court adversity to regain their best form and their top-10 rankings...

Dokic Wins Australian Open Wildcard

It's not exactly tour-level competition, but at least it looks like Jelena Dokic's 2006 will be better than her 2005.

From the AAP: Jelena opens Melbourne door

JELENA Dokic has guaranteed her place in next month's Australian Open by winning the wildcard play-off mini tournament at Melbourne Park today.

Dokic started slowly before recovering to beat Monique Adamczak 4-6 6-3 6-2.

The opening set was the only one that Dokic dropped in four matches during the tournament as she seeks to rebuild her career from a lowly ranking of No.349.

Dokic said she was nervous at the start but is pleased she no longer has to rely on tournament organisers giving her a wildcard...

One More Match to Reach Australian Open Wildcard for Dokic

From  the Herald Sun: Dokic near Open goal

COMEBACK kid Jelena Dokic is within reach of an Australian Open wildcard today as the tennis ace continues to ride an amazing change of fortunes.

Dokic revealed yesterday after making the wildcard playoff final that she couldn't even climb out of bed this time last year.

The former world No. 4 was at the lowest point of her fluctuating career after nose and throat surgery in Croatia, while also nursing a groin injury.

"I'm surprised because I hardly trained the last year and a half and had some surgery this time last year," Dokic said yesterday.

"I couldn't get out of bed this time last year, so I'm very happy to be able to play again and to be healthy."

Dokic was untroubled to beat Newcastle left-hander Trudi Musgrave 6-1 6-3 in the semi-finals, despite needing seven match points to close out her third consecutive victory.

Dokic to Play First Match as Australian (Again)

From The Australian: Welcome back Jelena: junior rival

THE last time they met, Beti Sekulovski and Jelena Dokic were two emerging teenage talents in Australia playing a low-key tournament in Mount Gambier, South Australia.

"She beat me 6-4 6-4," said Sekulovski, who was "14 or 15" at the time.

Now 22, a month younger than Dokic, Sekulovski will meet her again in the first round of the Australian Open wild-card play-offs at Melbourne Park today.

Having shadowed Dokic through junior and challenger events, Sekulovski will not be overwhelmed by the occasion.

"Obviously she's done a lot more in tennis than me but I'm actually quite excited to play her again," Sekulovski said. "I've played on the Australian circuit a lot and you see the same girls and now there's a fresh new face."

Dokic May Play Fed Cup for Australia Sooner Than Expected

Perhaps we should all wait and see if she can still play tennis before going into all of this?

From The Australian: Dokic chance at Fed Cup reprieve

JELENA Dokic could play for Australia as early as next year if a successful bid is made to the International Tennis Federation on grounds of hardship.

The ITF runs both the men's Davis Cup and women's Fed Cup competitions. Under its rules, if a player switches countries there is a waiting period of three years.

Dokic, 22, who arrived back in Melbourne last Saturday, played for Serbia-Montenegro in April last year, losing to Bulgaria.

She still holds an Australian passport, but under ITF rules would not be eligible to play for Australia again until April 2007...