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Interview with Jelena Dokic (18 October 2001)Was it a tough match?Yea but I played her six months ago so that was also tough, and I’ve been here for a few days, and not to play till the last day that’s possible is tough, but you know, it’s something you have to deal with, and now that it’s over and done with, I’m happy.(Inaudible question)I think when she started complaining a little bit, I think that was just concentration. I don’t think it was my serve really, I had two or three points for 4-1, and then I was two breaks down, 4-3 and a break down again like I was in the first, so it’s just I think mental more than anything.Are you happy with your year?Yea I am pretty happy with the way it has gone. My goal wasn’t to be in the top ten this year, but that’s where I am right now, and you know, to win as many tournaments as I have also wasn’t my goal, but the year has been really good for me and I have had really good results on all sorts of surfaces.How did you find the surface here?A little slow I think. The other indoor tournaments that we’ve been playing at I think were a lot quicker than this one was, but you know, it’s something I’ve gotten used to and I think it suits my game.Jelena Dokic strikes toward top of the world (from Vecernje Novosti daily newspaper) Tennis racquet goes along beauty 10th world tennis player went modeling and she makes advertisements for everything, from clothes to perfumes. She does not travel only two months in year. She does not have time for love. Next moth she will come to Yugoslavia again.
Yugoslavia is rich with Jelena’s and her greatest flower is Jelena Dokic. She is 10th tennis player of the world who is attracting people with her game and beauty. But holding racquet in hands, making serves and hitting ball is not easy. For that achievement power is required and power is destroying feminine. Does Jelena agree with that? I have not thought about that. Tennis is sport. I think that we are all feminine. There are rumors that you walked fashion runway? It is correct. That goes with tennis. I made advertisement for everything from clothes to perfumes. All tennis players so that and it is not bad for game. You become adult 12th April current year. You are already in top ten. How do you feel fame? I did not get to the world of tennis overnight. It was more like going from one step to another, so I did not notice the difference. Is it hard to be Jelena Dokic? No. Have you ever wished to be regular girl- to go to university, go to nightclubs? Maybe sometimes but I picked tennis and I knew what’s going to be like. How much has tennis taken from your youth and how much has it given? Tennis has given me lot and taken lot from me. It depends from which angle you are watching. There is great difference between regular person and person who play tennis. Do you have friends and time for hanging out with them? I don’t have a lot of friends. Sometimes we are hanging out during the tournaments. I travel from 10 to 12 moths. I am changing place very often. But that is my choice and prize of success. You have house in Florida and you live like nomad? You travel from one town to another, from one hotel to another. How do you maintain that? I used to that. I live that rhythm for last five years. Everyone who plays tennis must get used to it. You must be strong psychologically. Everybody ask you about boyfriend. Do you have time for love? No, So far. I already told you that I travel 10 months and my boyfriend must be the right one. With you there is one of the parents always. Who is better? Family means lot to me. I would not do anything without of their support. My father Damir has greatest authority in tennis and my mother Ljiljana is same like every other mother. You have been in Belgrade for few days? That time went so fast. It was fantastic. I also trained here and I have done some jobs. You said that you would come (to Yugoslavia) again in November? Yes because I would like to have some rest, I want to run from tennis and medias. No hard fillings but next time when I came here I shall make sure that nobody knows where I am going to have vacation. I shall meet some our writers. I adore to read poetry and prose. (About Burek- Serbian special dish) I could not resist that specialty of our national kitchen in Belgrade. I found one bakery and burek is much better here than in Sidney. Her parents and brother Sava are her strongest support. But when she step out on the court she is alone. What do you think in critical moments and what do you use to make yourself feel better? I think only about the match. I enter every match with positive thoughts and I never think that I will lose some match. Are you superstitious? No I am not. EXCLUSIVE: Best Yugoslav tennis player arrived in Belgrade to extend visa from Austrian - Serbian newspaper Dokic: I am on the right way Belgrade- Jelena Dokic who is Yugoslav tennis queen, arrived in Belgrade. She came together with her mother Ljilja (Ljiljana) to extend visa so she can continue her furious crusade toward top of tennis world. Jelena Dokic will play in Zurich 17th October for her next title. When we spoke with her about two years ago she told us that she has a goal to enter top 15 players in the world. After she won the tournament in Moscow where she was better than home-crowd-favorite Elena Dementieva, Dokic entered top ten. I came to Belgrade, to extend visa for future competitions. I entered top ten, but our people are great and they want only the top. I followed matches of Yugoslavian champions- water polo players, basketball players, and volleyball players. Therefore I realized that I must chase only first place so I can be on the level of most successful sport nation in the world. I am very sorry that I will not be able to enjoy in beauties of Belgrade, but I will find time for that in the future. At a present it is most important for me to continue with good matches and victories so I can go further toward top in the list of best tennis players in the world. You won the finale match against Elena Dementieva and her home-crowd in Moscow without any problems? Elena Dementieva will make great success in the future. I knew that her crowd would cheer aggressively until she starts to lose. That is characteristic of crowd in Moscow and we (Serbians) are different from them. I followed matches of Janko Tipsarevic in Davis cup and I admired support of our crowd until last moment of the match. I have a dream to play in front my home crowd in Yugoslavia. What are your future plans? I already answered that question. People in our country push our sportsman and sportswoman to the top with their fantastic support. I need much more effort in order to get to the top, but I think that I am on the right way to do that- said Jelena Dokic.
Rogers AT&T Cup - Press Conferences MATCH: JELENA DOKIC vs. NADIA PETROVA SCORE / RESULTAT: 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2001 / LUNDI 13 AOUT 2001 AN INTERVIEW WITH: JELENA DOKIC TOUR OFFICIAL: Questions for Jelena, please. REPORTER: Congratulations on winning, Jelena. How do you explain the momentum change? It looked for a time as if you were going to lose and you didn't look as if you would be winning tonight. All of a sudden the momentum changed late in the second set. JELENA DOKIC Well, I think I had a lot of chances in the first set. And I think that was -- I think I was very mentally down after that. And at 4-2 I just, you know, tried to hold my serve, then I did. And then I broke her. I think I just tried to go point by point and I was lucky. I think that's the only thing that explains it tonight. And after 5-all to hold my serve and break her on that double fault was crucial. And that decided the third set, I think. REPORTER: Hi Jelena. First of all, congratulations from the Serbian community. I want to continue the questioning. Can you tell me exactly what was the key moment that brought you back in the game? I mean, you were struggling in the first set and then suddenly, you came back. JELENA DOKIC I think at 4-2, when it was 4-2, that first point on my serve, I played a really great point to pass her when she came in. Won that game easily. And then she served well, but I got a lot of returns back at 4-3. And I think that was the key. When I broke at 4-3, everything sort of changed. And she still played well in the second set, but I lifted my game. And I think that was -- that was the key. And I was very lucky. REPORTER: You seemed to have a a lot of problems with your second serve. Was there anything specific? JELENA DOKIC No, I think she puts a lot of pressure on you, because she hits quite well, especially her returns. You sort of feel you have to go for a lot more. And I think my ball toss was everywhere and a little bit low. That was it pretty much. It got -- there were times when it was good, there were times when it wasn't so good. I think it's the concentration also a little bit. But I'm not worried about that. Work on that a little bit. And I think my game was a lot better than I thought it would be tonight. REPORTER: You know her from juniors. Did you sense her frustration, were you feeding off her frustration after you went up, well, got to 4-3? JELENA DOKIC I think -- no, you know, I think it was different. I don't think we were looking at each other very much. We know each other. We've played each other before. We're both very competitive. And, you know, I think she was very frustrated when she lost her serve at 4-3, especially to lose the set on a double fault. I think that was crucial and maybe that decided the match. REPORTER: How are things going with your father? Have things calmed down on the tour in terms of all of the talk? JELENA DOKIC Yeah, I think the situation has been really good this year. He's been on quite a few tournaments this year. He's back at home now, in Florida. So, you know, I think he will be back at the U.S. Open again. And, you know, it's been really good. I've never had any problems and I've always said that. There was a lot of talk before and I can't help that. Things have been really good this year. REPORTER: So he's not here? JELENA DOKIC No. REPORTER: How confident are you after this victory? JELENA DOKIC You know, again, I sort of think I played quite well. And I think this was going to be a very tough match for me. I think out of all the seeds, and all the players, I think she's the toughest to play in the first round. You know, I think the next one will be tough, but maybe a little bit easier than today. I was very down today. And, you know, I nearly lost that match. And to come back and win it is -- it gives you a lot of confidence. TOUR OFFICIAL: Any other questions? REPORTER: Who was with you in the box? JELENA DOKIC My mom and my fitness trainer. REPORTER: Do we know who you're playing next? JELENA DOKIC Magui Serna. REPORTER: What do you expect from her? JELENA DOKIC Like I said, it will be a tough match, but maybe a little bit easier than today. It's a different player all together. She's a left-hander. And hits the ball, you know, hard and clean. I played her before. I think Wimbledon last year and had a win there. So, you know, again, it's a very tough match. And a dangerous one for me if I don't play well. And, you know, again, I'm just going to have to go out there and do my best. REPORTER: Jelena, you won -- sorry, you got to the semis of Wimbledon a few years ago. I'm wondering if you have expectations to get to a Grand Slam final one day and do you think that day is soon coming? JELENA DOKIC I hope so. You know, I think Grand Slams are very special. I think you get a -- that's where everything comes together and that's where you have to play well. You know, I think I'm getting up there and my game's getting up there. It's very tough. There are so many good players right now. The top ten is just so close. And, you know, it's anyone's tournament. We've seen that in the last few Grand Slams. We've had different players in the final all the time. You know, there are a few older players that might go out in a few years and there are some younger ones coming through. But, you know, it's not -- it's an aim for me, but not right now. I think to improve my game is the most important thing right now. TOUR OFFICIAL: Thank you. Copyright 2000 Tennis Canada. All Rights Reserved.
J. DOKIC/A. Sanchez-Vicario 6-4, 7-5 Q. Can you kind of assess how you felt you played out there, whether you're happy with your performance? JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely to beat Arantxa in two sets is great for me - at a Grand Slam, too. You know, I stuck in there. I didn't play well at all times, but I played the important points well and I took my chances. I had a little lapse there at 3-All in the second. Overall, I think I played well. Q. That lapse in the second set, what were you having to tell yourself to get out of it? JELENA DOKIC: I was 5-3 down, Love-30 on my serve. I just tried to go a point at a time and try to win my serve there, then just really concentrate on trying to break her serve. And that's what happened. From there on, you know, my confidence grew and I started to play well again. Q. How important was it to beat her earlier this year in Hamburg? JELENA DOKIC: Very important. I beat her there on clay. It was really heavy, very heavy conditions. To beat her on clay was a very good win for me because that's her favorite surface - it's not my favorite. On hard court, it was a little bit easier. Q. Did you have a particular strategy going into the match, since she is such a veteran here at The Open? JELENA DOKIC: No. Like I said, she probably isn't at her best right now, but she still played very well today. Last couple weeks, this is the best I've seen her play. She came out, gave it her all. I just said to myself, you know, not to make too many errors but still be aggressive. It's hard to do that, but I try to do that. Maybe attack her forehand a little bit more. I think her backhand has a lot more pace on it. She dictates the point a lot more with her backhand. I had to kind of mix it up, just see what happens. Q. Can you talk about playing Hingis? JELENA DOKIC: You know, I think we've played a few times. I'm actually looking forward to that. I haven't played her in a long time. This year has been different for me. You know, she had a tough match today, nearly lost. But still, you know, she comes out, she came out at the end and won. You know, I actually wanted her to win. I wanted to play her again. You know, I've got nothing to lose. There's a lot of pressure on her, I think. You know, I'm just going to go out there and do the same as I did today. Q. Why did you want to play her? JELENA DOKIC: You know, I think to try and play her again. I haven't played her in a long time. To play her again at a Grand Slam, you know, would just be a good experience for me, just try and, you know, do my best and maybe get a win, just see, you know, where I'm at and how I'm playing right now. Q. She hasn't had a great six months or so for a world's No. 1, struggled today. Do you think she's a little vulnerable at the moment? Do you think this is a big opportunity for you at a Grand Slam? JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. But I think she's still No. 1 and she's a champion. It's never over with her. And she comes out, you know, in matches when she's playing bad and wins. I wouldn't take it as an easy match. She hasn't been playing very well this year and I'm still surprised that she's still No. 1. But she's still one of the best players out there. Q. How was your health today? You said Monday night you weren't feeling to well. JELENA DOKIC: I was fine today. I knew it was going to be tough, a lot of rallies, a lot of running. That's what it was. You know, I'm glad it didn't go into a third. But even if it did, I would have felt pretty good. It was hot and humid out there today. I'm happy with the way I handled the long rallies, the way I played. Q. Will your dad be here at some stage of the tournament? JELENA DOKIC: No. Q. Do you talk to him over the phone? JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. Q. You obviously have the strokes to keep up with Hingis. How much of the match is going to be mental for you? JELENA DOKIC: Pretty much all of it, I think. You know, I can play with her from the baseline. She's not going to blow me off the court, and she doesn't have a big serve. You know, I hit harder than she does. You know, I have the game to stay out there with her. It's just going to be a matter of who's better prepared. It will be a very mental match, I think. There's nothing -- I don't think there will be anything else in it. Q. Are you going to play her more or less like you played Arantxa? JELENA DOKIC: Again, I have to try not to make errors. I've got to try and make her -- if she's going to win, make her win the match. Pretty much, you know, I was happy with how I hung in there today, just didn't make errors and really dug down deep when I needed to. I had everything there working for me. So hopefully it will be like that against Martina also. Q. How can you assess your draw this year? JELENA DOKIC: I haven't looked at the draw this year. I don't think there's anything to assess. I think you have to go match by match. I think I had one of the tougher third rounds today than, you know, a lot of the other matches. It's Martina in the fourth round. I don't think you can assess anything. You've got to go match by match. If I get through each one, you concentrate on the next match. I honestly haven't looked at it. Really doesn't bother me. Q. Are you more confident now than at any time this summer, past the loss at Roland Garros? JELENA DOKIC: Probably, yeah. I played very well during the clay court season. I had a little letdown there at the French. That was very mental for me. I knew I had a chance there. I didn't take it. You know, you've got to get past that. That was just an experience for me. Hopefully I'll learn from that. But since then, you know, I think this is the best that I've played. You know, I feel very good when I get out on the court. I've played a lot of matches, singles and doubles. I feel good. Q. How disappointed are you in the Grand Slam results you had so far this year? JELENA DOKIC: Not really. I had a tough first round at the Aussie Open. Again, I had a chance there, but I lost to the defending champion, to one of the best players right now, one of the best players on hard court also. Just a little letdown at the French, that's it. Wimbledon I think I played well, and lost to Lindsay again. I think probably I didn't do as well as I wanted to at the Grand Slams, but it's something I think that will come. You know, the more you're seeded at Grand Slams and tournaments, I think the better it will be. FastScripts (by ASAP Sports) US OPEN INTERVIEW AFTER HINGIS MATCH US OPEN 2001
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