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Jelena
Dokic Interview - Day 6
Saturday, June 30, 2001
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J. DOKIC/B. Schett
6-3, 7-5
THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon. Questions for Jelena, please.
Q. I'd like to know how much relief you feel now that you've gone
through to the second week.
JELENA DOKIC: I'm so relieved to get through that match, you know. I had
a great day so far. I didn't even have time to warm up this morning. The
transport didn't arrive and I just had enough time to change and go out
on the court. So I'm so proud of myself, you know, just on focusing and,
you know, playing as well as I did.
I just -- I'm glad to get through. You know, it was a good match for me
to get through. She's quite highly ranked, too. So it was a good match
for me.
Q. How difficult was it when the transport wasn't there? Were you
getting flustered?
JELENA DOKIC: No, I wasn't, you know, we just got a taxi this morning to
come because I just needed to get here. I was very disappointed with the
transport. I just tried to call and no one did anything. So I just
wanted to get here as soon as I can.
I tried to call the tournament director, the transport. I'm very
disappointed in them. They're really -- really feel like they did a very
bad job. If you can't organize something like that, you can't run a
tournament. So...
I wasn't too happy this morning about that. I think it wasn't a very
nice thing, what happened this morning. It was very hard to go out there
and play under that, you know.
Q. What kind of transport were you waiting for? A bus or a car?
JELENA DOKIC: Just a car that comes and picks you up every morning. I
feel like, you know, the transport and the tournament director didn't do
a very good job there. I tried to call them. I was saying half an hour
later there was nothing there still. They're really bandits and they
really disappointed me this morning.
Q. What time did you get here then? How long did you have?
JELENA DOKIC: Just before the match.
Q. Literally just before?
JELENA DOKIC: (Nodding.)
Q. Where do you live?
JELENA DOKIC: About ten minutes away.
Q. Has that happened to you before?
JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, a couple years ago. At the Australian Open,
actually. Maybe it's just me, it happens everywhere, God.
Yeah, but they've been coming every day, half an hour before, so I was
really surprised this morning when it happened. And I was really
frustrated.
Q. Has the tournament director apologized or spoken to you?
JELENA DOKIC: Nope.
Q. Have you registered a complaint?
JELENA DOKIC: No. Like I said, I just got here before my match. I
couldn't do anything. There was just nothing I could do at that stage.
You know, I was just trying to focus on my match.
Q. Did it put you off? You won, but did it put you off your match?
JELENA DOKIC: No, I think I was all right in the match actually. I tried
not to worry about that. There was other things on my mind, too.
There was an article in The Mirror this morning that also sort of stood
me up a little bit. It was a really nasty article about my dad. And I
think, you know, again, I think it's really not funny anymore. I think
it was as bad as it could get. So...
Q. To what extent did your frustration begin to happen on the court when
it got to 4-4 in the second set?
JELENA DOKIC: It didn't. I don't think that was the -- I think she
played a good game to break me. It was only one break and she started to
serve a lot better. So I think next thing, you know, she was at 4-all.
Had chances again on my serve at 4-all and 5-all. And I was really --
mentally, I was really good there because I held my serve and made her
stay in the match. So I think that was the key.
Q. You're beginning to sound as though you think yourself and your dad
are being vilified over here. Is that actually the case?
JELENA DOKIC: I have nothing against anybody. I just think when an
article is written like that, like it was this morning, it really isn't
doing any good to anybody. It really isn't interesting to read anymore.
If they have nothing else to write about, that's really sad then.
I was really disappointed with what they wrote, too, like that my dad
was gonna try and psych Barbara out on the side of the court. I mean,
it's crazy. I think, you know, I think my dad doesn't deserve that.
Especially, you know, since he's gotten back on the Tour.
You know, I also don't think it was also the news -- I mean, the
newspapers that Barbara was advertising. To come on the day of the match
wasn't really good.
I think also the management company, Octagon, Ivan Brixi, the guy I work
with, did a very poor job. We're both from the same management company,
playing on the day of the match, it didn't need to be there.
Q. Do you usually read the newspapers when you're playing Grand Slams?
JELENA DOKIC: No, not really.
Q. Why did you happen to pick it up?
JELENA DOKIC: I just saw it in the hotel. Everyone was reading it. It
was a bit hard not to. It was a very big one, too.
Q. Did you read it to your dad?
JELENA DOKIC: I read it myself. He read it himself, too.
Q. Was he real upset about it?
JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. I mean, I think it's -- you know, again, like I
said, to come on the day of the match, to write something like that, it
was just horrendous. Like I said, didn't need to be there. Especially us
two playing against each other on the day.
Q. What is your state of mind for next week?
JELENA DOKIC: I'm just happy to get through this week. It was a good
week for me so far. I've gotten through to the fourth round. It's
anyone's tournament right now. You know, I'm just focusing on the next
match. I have a day off now and I'll just focus on that.
Q. Can you put this other stuff behind you though when you walk on court
Monday?
JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, for sure. I mean, you know, if it didn't affect me
today, it's not gonna affect me at all. I think, you know, it was a
really good mental test for me. I think I did well.
Q. You think you're going to have to step it up a little more against
Lindsay?
JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, for sure. It's a different type of ball game. It's a
different player to play, and, you know, she hits will ball a lot
bigger, a lot better. We had a very tough match in Australia, also on a
fast surface. So it will be interesting, I think.
She's just been coming off an injury. I don't know how well she's
playing, but probably not as well as, you know, when she's had months
and months of matches, which she hasn't.
So I'm just gonna focus on my game. I know that, you know, I've played a
tough match with her last time and it's gonna help me.
Q. Sorry to go back to this topic, but did you live in the same hotel
like last year?
JELENA DOKIC: Yes.
Q. Do you feel that you are treated with due respect on the Tour as a
whole, that people and the media and some of the other players --?
JELENA DOKIC: I have no problem with the people, you know. I think I'm
treated very well on the Tour. It's just a few outsiders that you get. I
mean, I did nothing to stir this up, you know. I did nothing; neither
did my dad. It's really not -- I don't think that's acceptable.
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