Article written by Nikola Radovic

Great Start

Jelena Dokic and her doubles partner Nadia Petrova successfully started the new season.

Today, their opponents were Silvia Farina Elia from Italy and Elena Dementieva from Russia. This Italian/ Russian team have had their moments of glory last season, especially if you look at Dementieva's record. She, with her doubles partner at that time, Slovakian Janette Husarova, won four doubles titles: German Open, San Diego, Moscow ( won doubles title def. Dokic/ Petrova in final in third- set tie- break) and Season- Ending Championships, while Farina Elia won Strasbourg Open in 2001 with Iroda Tulyaganova from Uzbekistan.

As the score is telling, but sure not as it was predicted before the match, this was one easy match from Dokic and Petrova and a good warm- up for their next match.

Dokic and Petrova played a good match today. They really looked like a great team. They were moving well, they went for their shots more often, they were a hundred percents with their shots, they weren't missing their shots that much as their opponents were. At the beginning of the match, Dementieva and Farina Elia made a lot errors, they rushed so many shots, and at that point, it was very hard for them to find their momentum. It looked like Dokic and Petrova knew that the beginning of the match was going to be very important against these players. They moved well together throughout the match, covering most of the court and anticipating each other's next move.  At one point, Dementieva tried to force Dokic to make some unforced errors by forcing her forehand with some great cross- court shots, but that obviously wasn't the smartest shot to use in doubles matches, and Dokic knew how to deal with that pressure, didn't want to try something different.  Dokic and Petrova worked out the points really well, and even fighting for everything, even the score was well on their side. Like they wanted to prove to everyone that they are ready for the season, that they will be one of the major threats this year.
While Dokic and Petrova set up successful doubles strategies point- by- point, Farina Elian and Dementieva maintained little communications. They were slugging a little bit with their movement, they didn't get used to the balls.  Dokic and Petrova still on a roll from winning the first set, took the lead and never looked back.  In the end, Dokic and Petrova were simply too graceful and smooth in their handling of Italian Silvia Farina Elia and Russian Elena Dementieva.

Jelena Dokic and Nadia Petrova def. Silvia Farina Elia and Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-2.