Article sent by Todd Spiker

JELENA-DOKIC.com - June 21, 2003

JELENA CORNER by Todd Spiker
 

   And the Gunthardt Experiment goes up in smoke...
   No surprise, really.

 

   The truly bad news from last week was that Jelena actually said she wasn't "expecting much from this year."  Nothing like that old fighting spirit, huh?  Well, if you don't expect much, you'll get even less.  Strive to be less than mediocre, then expect to be horrific more often than not... such as when you lose 3-6,1-6 in a hail of sloppy, unfocused tennis and unforced errors to the world #89 on your best surface.
   Didn't Jelena hook up with Gunthardt because she wanted something more?  Now she's not expecting much?  What a waste of time the last six months have turned out to be.

 

   Extricating herself from Gunthardt is certainly understandable in light of the nonexistent confidence that Jelena is currently sporting, along with that embarrassing 13-16 record (by the way, does it strike you when you see that the way it does me -- you think, "Jelena's won THIRTEEN matches?" when it seems like so many fewer than that). But considering she was just recently saying she realized the difficulties in changing her game and knew it would take time, why not play it out?  Maybe it's true that Gunthardt was too much of a disciplinarian, but hasn't Jelena said her practices have been going well, and that it's her matchplay that's been wanting?  The two don't seem to match up.
   Hmmm, maybe she just wants someone to blame and doesn't have a mirror handy.   Barna Bikic could be a perfect fit for Jelena... or he could make things worse if her results continue to go downhill.  Then what?  Damir?  Oh, let's not go there just yet.

 

   It wasn't supposed to go this way.  Remember, Jelena said she wanted to play just 22 or so events in 2003.  Well, what with all the 1r/2r losses, Wimbledon will already be the 17th stop of the season -- and it's only June.  She's going to end up playing MORE tournaments than in 2002 (29), but far fewer matches (79).  Not a good trade off.

 

   I'd say things have to get better from here on out, but I've said that before and been proven wrong.  But, then again, if I didn't maintain a little bit of optimism I'd sound just like Jelena, wouldn't I?
  If you don't expect anything, you'll get even less.


**THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD OF LOSSES**
#163...Karolina Sprem (May,Strasbourg)
#89....Saori Obata (June,Eastbourne)
#87....Barbara Rittner (March, I.Wells)
#54....Tina Pisnik (May, Roland Garros)


   Jelena's already fallen to #12, and might fall out of the Top 15 if she flames out yet again at Wimbledon.
   On the bright side, the bigger points defenses (than Jelena's 132) of Dementieva and Maleeva will likely prevent that from occurring no matter what befalls her next week.  As it is, Jelena's current 1815 ranking points total will fall to 1723 if she fails to get to the 3r.
   With so many points to defend in the upcoming North American hardcourt season (example: 286 at San Diego), it's going to be a struggle for Jelena to stay in the Top 20 seeds for the US Open unless things change very quickly under Bikic.
   Of course, one plus later on will be that Jelena's initial dip in results in the 4th Quarter of last season will mean she could make up a great deal of lost ground (ala Clijsters last fall following an inconsistent 3/4 of a season) with a series of strong performances to end her year.
   If it can be believed that Jelena is willing to toss off 2003 as a "learning experience," she's going to have a notebook so full of lessons that she'll be able to write her own textbook.  Possible title: "How to Go in Circles Without Really Expecting to Go Straight."
   Hmmm, the clay didn't ease Jelena's burden, and barring a miracle at the All England Club, neither will the grass.  Zero confidence will make the hardcourts difficult to manage, too.  So, when does the savior arrive?
   Well, when is the 2004 Australian Open set to begin?  Hey, just trying to not expect too much... apparently, that's the new standard operating procedure.

 

WIMBLEDON
London, England
Weeks of June 23/30
Grasscourt
#11 seed; 1r vs. Elena Baltacha (GBR)
2002: 4r-Hantuchova (132 pts.)
POINTS
W=650; RU=456; SF=202; QF=162; 4r=90; 3r=56; 2r=32; 1r=2
=====================================

   Back in March, one would have expected Jelena's lethargy to be a thing of the past by late June.  Unfortunately, it's not.  Despite wins over Kuznetsova, Molik, Serna and Dementieva early on in the clay season, she slipped back down into her self-sustained black hole by the time Roland Garros arrived.  Ah, but the grass awaited.
  Then, she skipped Birmingham and was a virtual no-show in Eastbourne... and now the grass season could soon be over before it's even begun.


**WIMBLEDON LOSSES**
........................OPP#...JD#
99 QF-Stevenson.........86....129
00 SF-Davenport..........2.....30
01 4r-Davenport..........3.....16
02 4r-Hantuchova........12......7


**LAST THREE GRAND SLAMS**
.......................OPP#....JD#
02 Wimb-4r Hantuchova...12......7
02 US-2r Bovina.........61......4
03 RG-2r Pisnik.........54.....11
03 Wimb-1r Baltacha...*149.....12

*-as of June 16



   There's still a glimmer of hope that Jelena's great Wimbledon memories will shake something loose, that with the pressure of the Gunthardt Experiment gone her game will settle down and she'll be able to come away with something from London that will help her when she goes stateside to get ready for the US Open.  I said a "glimmer."