Article by Gerhard Grundhammer

25 year old Iva Majoli will be Jelenas first opponent at the swisscom championships at Zurich today at about 8pm local time, which is equal to Belgrade time, 7pm in London/Dublin and 2pm in New York/Montreal.

As i write previews about Jelenas opponents i honestly thought about writing an article about Jelena herself, as she seems to be her biggest opponent recently, but at least I will try to concentrate on the Croatian no1, and worlds no28.

Iva has played Jelena five times in her carreer, and won 2 occasions which both took place at her favourite surface: Clay. Jelena has won their first meeting, back in 1999, and the last two. They took place at round 2 of Brasil 2001 (6-1 and 6-2) and at round 2 of Linz 2001 (7-6, 6-7 and 6-3) and after beating Iva, Jelena reached the finals of both tournaments!

Majoli started the year, unable to find any form, but in April she triumphed in Charleston where she won the 8th tournament of her career (picture). She folloed that up by reaching another final in Bol, but at both tournaments she did not have to play any top 10 players. After that short period of success she lost her good form completely and the only decent results in 2002 beside those mentioned where reaching the quarters of Vienna and reaching the third rounds of Wimbledon and the US-Open.

At the other 16 (sixteen!!!) tournaments she entered she lost either in round one or two, though Kim Clijsters was the only top 10 player she had to play agains in 2002. That match happened last week at Filderstadt and Ivawas blown away 6-1 and 6-2. Amongst the girls who beat Iva this year atearly stages of tournaments are as famous names as Kruger, Razzano,McQuillan and Cervanova.......

All together it must have been a disappointing year for the French-OpenChampion from 1997, though she has won a trier I tournament, but as I said:Jelenas biggest opponent tomorrow might not be named Iva Majoli, but JelenaDokic......