Article by Nikola

Good Start

Jelena Dokic and her doubles partner Nadia Petrova successfully started with the defense of their title. The title which they have won here in Linz last year by losing only 18 games before lifting the trophy. On Wednesday J. Dokic and N. Petrova defeated German's Greta Arn and Switzerland's Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian the tournaments qualifier in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

As the score is telling, and as it was predicted before the match, this was an easy match for Dokic and Petrova. On the other side of the net, they had an up-and-coming tennis player Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian who will for sure be one of the leading tennis players in the upcoming years and one older player Greta Arn. The team that has never won a doubles title, really couldn't do more than to qualify in Linz.

As the match progressed, it was obviously who will be the better team, not only on the paper. Dokic/Petrova team played as usually. They didn't go off a little bit at all. They really played as a great team, which they are. And for sure it was great to watch how they responded to the situation. With some good angles and with many powerful shots, the team really dictated almost every point.

It has to be said, there were moments where Greta Arn served some great services, serving at the speed higher than 100mph, and Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian had some good powerful shots, but mainly that was all that this team produced last night. There was nothing they could do. And they even didn't get any better as the match went on. Sometimes it can turn around a little bit, to make things more interesting, but that wasn't the case last night. Dokic and Petrova were a hundred percents with their shots, they weren't missing their shots that much as their opponents were. They were moving well, and in two words, pure symphony. The girls were really on.

In the second set, the story was pretty usual. While the opponents struggled with their service game, Dokic and Petrova didn't struggle with their return game and some great court coverage game. They continued to apply pressure on every point, and very soon the plan was paid off.

J. Dokic and N. Petrova defeated Greta Arn and Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian 6-2, 6-1.
While Dokic and Petrova moved to the crowed on the Linz court, Greta Arn and Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian headed straight to the locker room, with their heads dropping in despair.
J. Dokic and N. Petrova will go to the second round, where they will face Greece's Eleni Daniilidou and Holland's Caroline Vis.