Jelena-dokic.com

JELENA-DOKIC.com - September 2003

THE JELENA AWARDS (version 03.3) by Todd Spiker

3rd QTR.POINTS CHART 2002************2003 65....Stanford....64 267.....S.D.......44 118.....L.A........1 192...Toronto.....50 0.....N.Haven.....48 40......U.S.......48 ==================== 2002 3Q Points...682 2003 3Q Points...255

**2003 QUARTERLY REPORT CARDS** 1Q........C- singles/C+ doubles 2Q/Clay...C- singles/C doubles 2Q/Grass..C singles/D+ doubles --3rd Quarter-- SINGLES Stanford.QF Vento-Kabchi..1-1..D S.D......3r Rubin.........1-1..C+ L.A......2r Kuznetsova....0-1..D- Toronto..3r Zvonareva.....1-1..C- N.Haven..2r Davenport.....1-1..C+ US Open..2r Pierce........1-1..D+ OVERALL: D+ ================================= DOUBLES S.D. w/ Shaughnessy...1r..0-1..D+ Toronto w/ Morariu....QF..2-1..B+ US Open w/ Morariu....1r..0-1..D US Mixed w/ Zimonjic..1r..0-1..F OVERALL: D

JELENA ON...PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A "BABE" IN TENNIS: "I think people should stop looking for a babe. I think they should be looking at tennis players first. I know all the media people want to have something to write about. You know, there are plenty of other good-looking girls other than Anna out there. I mean, sure you can write about her, that's no problem. But, you know, you can write about both. I think we're here for the tennis. If we do get a good-looking girl, sure, you can write about that. It's no problem. I think we should stick to the tennis here (at the US Open). You know, just depends. I mean, Anna hasn't played for a long time. I think tennis is definitely looking for someone else, and has a lot of better tennis players, some good-looking girls. You know, everyone's definitely found some other tennis players out there other than her."

BEST WIN, PART I: Def. Meghannn Shaughnessy (6-2/6-4), New Haven 1r. The win over the world #18 was her first victory over a Top 20 player this season. SAYANORA, NADIA?: Interestingly, since Nadia Petrova's SF run at Roland Garros, she and formerly-regular doubles partner Jelena have yet to team again. When Jelena has played doubles, even with Petrova in the same event, they have avoided reconnecting on the court. Hmmm, Jelena's star has fallen a bit in 2003 while new Top 20er Petrova's has risen... and suddenly the relationship seems to have changed. Wonder if there's a connection? THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND JELENA: In January, Jelena said she didn't intend to play any events the week before a slam this season. After playing in New Haven before the US Open, Jelena completed her pre-slam season having played the week before all three slams she participated in. Sure, it was precipitated by the unusually bad circumstances of Jelena's season, but it's an interesting note nonetheless.

JELENA IN HER OWN WORDS: "I think my mind is more on the court. I think I feel better physically. I just feel more comfortable now than I did a few months ago. I've worked very hard. It's coming back a little bit."

ONE AREA WHERE JELENA HASN'T SEEN HER RESULTS DIP IN 2003: After a loss in New Haven, she's now 0-8 in her career against Lindsay Davenport. WORST LOSS, PART I: To Maria Vento-Kabchi (4-6/3-6), Stanford QF. With her North American hardcourt season looking as if it would get off to a rousing start, Jelena had what appeared to be a yellow brick road to her first final of 2003. Then she lost to #132 Vento-Kabchi. It was her third loss to a player ranked #100 or worse since 2000, but the second time it's happened this season alone. MVK pushed Capriati in Stanford and upset a no-show Rubin at the US Open, but any player looking to turn around her season simply CANNOT lose to the #132-ranked player. WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR CAN MAKE: Last year in San Diego, Jelena defeated Jennifer Capriati en route to the final as she soon was to sail to a career-high #4 ranking. Capriati called her a "great player" that night. In 2003, Jelena exited in the 3r and saw her ranking fall to #15. Three weeks later, she was #23.

JELENA ON... QUESTIONS ABOUT SEX APPEAL IN WOMEN'S TENNIS: "I think there's no reason to get irritated (by those questions). It's a normal thing. It's not just tennis anymore; it's much more than that. It's gone into shorter skirts, who looks good, who doesn't look good. I think we all expect that."

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: Jelena's ranking failed to garner her a seed at New Haven, the first time that's happened since the last time she played there, in 2001. BEST WIN, PART II: Def. Magui Serna (2-6/6-2/6-3), San Diego 2r. Sure, Jelena is 5-0 career against the Spaniard, but this was only the second time this season (she's lost 19 of 21) that she managed to win a match after losing the 1st set. CHICKEN SOUP FOR JELENA'S SOUL: Whenever Jelena needs a win, it's always nice to see Emmanuelle Gagliardi in her path. With her win over the Swiss Miss at the US Open, Jelena's now 6-0 against her, including a 3-0 mark (2-0 in '03 alone) in slams. WORST LOSS, PART II: To Mary Pierce (2-6/7-6/6-7), US Open 2r. Jelena overcomes a matchpoint in the 2nd set and goes on a confident roll, then squanders a 5-1 3rd set advantage before losing a deciding TB. In a season of ridiculous losses, maybe the most mind-boggling of the bunch. SOMETHING GOOD JUST TO CLEANSE THE PALATE: After Stanford, Jelena officially went over $3 million (US) in career earnings. MIXED RESULTS: For the first time since the 2001 US Open, Jelena played mixed doubles at a slam. She and Nenad Zimonjic, though, lost their 1r US Open match after droppinga deciding Super Tie-Break by a 5-10 score. It's the first time Jelena's ever ended a match with a STB... ah, another new way to lose.". WORST LOSS, PART III: To Svetlana Kuznetsova (6-4/6-7/3-6), L.A. 2r. Jelena should just put a big "X" over L.A. on next year's schedule. A year ago, it was the site of the "semi-tank" in the SF vs. Rubin. In 2003, Jelena managed to blow a 6-4,3-1 lead (and a 4-1 advantage in the 2nd set TB). "My head just went off. I got nervous," she said following her mid-match collapse.

JELENA ON... THERE BEING ANY COMPETITION BETWEEN THE GIRLS OFF COURT: "I don't think so. I think it's basically just the tennis. I think everyone wants to win out there. Everything else, if you have it, it comes along with it. If you can look good at the same time, it's great. That's a bonus. But I think all of just try to compete against each other on the court."

TENNISRULZ BACKSPIN'S FAVORED JELENA NICKNAME: The Debutante (of Drama)... if you've been following along in our story, there's no real explanation required. JELENA CORNER'S FAVORED JELENA NICKNAME: The Fair Dokic/The Fair One... with greater scrutinty comes a gentler moniker. JELENA CORNER'S WISHED-IT-WASN'T-NECESSARY NICKNAME: Little Miss Velcro... ever since her head "went off" against Kuznetsova in L.A., Jelena's game's been off and on, too. BEST WIN (DOUBLES): With Morariu, Def. Ruano-Pascual/Suarez (6-3/6-4), Toronto 2r. Without Petrova, Jelena and Corina Morariu might have pulled off the Fair One's best win (singles or doubles) all season when they knocked off #1 Toronto seeds VRP/Suarez, who are the WTA's 2nd-best doubles team this season. OF COURSE...: When Jelena & Corina teamed at the US Open, they drew the world #1 team of Clijsters/Sugiyama in the 1st Round. Needless to say, the result this time wasn't nearly as satisfying. TWO SHIPS (ALMOST) PASSING IN THE NIGHT: Jelena's draw set up a potential singles match against (ex-doubles partner?) Nadia Petrova in Stanford. But, for once, it wasn't Jelena who failed to hold up her end of the deal as it was Petrova who lost in the 1st Round.

JELENA IN HER OWN WORDS: "The last two years, I played well. I had over 70 or 80 matches in singles. So this year has been slow. So, you know, it's probably helped me a little bit, not being able to play so many matches this year may be better for me. And I haven't played half as much as I did last year or the last three years, I think. So I think this year's already been slower and I haven't been as tired mentally and physically."

PAYBACK BY PROXY: In 2002, Elena Bovina knocked Jelena out of the US Open in the 2nd Round. This year, it was Bovina who was knocked out earlier, as she fell to Ludmila Cervanova in the 1st Round. Of course, Jelena lost just one round later. But at least Bovina go her's, right? Well, it's a thought. FIRST STEPS/FENCES TO MEND: While Jelena has been steadfast in refusing to publicly make any decisions about a return to Australia in 2004, either as a plyer or as a representative of her former home country, it WAS reported that Mark Woodforde approached her at Wimbledon about playing again for the Aussie Fed Cup team, and John Newcombe said that she would be welcomed back if she agreed to "mix in" with the other team players. During her time in Australia, Jelena had an impressive 9-2 record in Fed Cup play (and advanced to the Bronze medal match at the Sydney Olympics while playing under the Aussie flag).

JELENA IN HER OWN WORDS: "I just want to start playing better, get my form back up to where I was when I was #4 in the world. I would like to play like I did."

**JELENA's 3rd Qtr. Stats** Won/Loss................5-6 3-setters...............1-3 Jelena wins 1st set.....4-2 Jelena loses 1st set....1-4 Tie-breaks..............1-2 Best Result.....Stanford QF Avg.Pts/Tournament.....42.5 Doubles W/L.............2-4 **JELENA BY QUARTER** 1st Qtr...........5-6 2nd Qtr.........10-11 [EuroJelena]....[7-8] 3rd Qtr...........5-6 ===================== 2003............20-23

JELENA ON...WHETHER IT'S OKAY TO USE SEX APPEAL TO SELL THE WTA TOUR: "I'm more for the tennis part. I think the tour has grown. I think they've used that a little bit, and it's helped. There's much more attention on women's tennis because of that. We have so many different personalities and different players that show different things. I think in a way you can use this. You shouldn't overexpose this. You know, you should also have a look at some of the athleticism and power we have on the tour, not just the looks. I think it should be combined a little bit."

**JELENA's SINGLES RANKING** July 7-August 3..........#12 August 4-10..............#15 August 11-17.............#17 August 18-September 7....#23 September 8-.............#21 **DOUBLES PARTNERS IN 3RD** Corina Morariu..........2-2 Meghannn Shaughnessy.....0-1 Nenad Zimonjic..........0-1

"I got tight. I lost the match myself; she didn't win it. I beat myself. It's disappointing, for sure. But that's tennis. You know, it's just not my year, it looks like. I have to go on. Learn from this." (after blowing the 5-1 3rd set lead vs. Pierce)

**JELENA vs. RANKEDS IN 3RD** vs.lower-ranked players...4-3 vs.higher-ranked players..1-3 vs.Top 10ers..............0-2 vs.Top 20ers..............1-3 **2003 QUALITY POINTS** January---8....May------22 February--8....June-----28 March----37....July-----30 April----49....August---47 ========================== JULY 15...#28 Stevenson (Stanford) 15...#31 Serna (Stanford) AUGUST 8....#73 Widjaja (Toronto) 23...#18 Shaughnessy (New Haven) 16...#61 Gagliardi (US Open)

"I played well. Surprisingly well." (after beating Shaughnessy for her first win over a Top 20 player in 2003)

**HIGH-RANKED WINS (5)** #18 Megahnn Shaughnessy (NH) #28 Alexandra Stevenson (STAN) #31 Magui Serna (SD) #61 Emmanuelle Gagliardi (US) #73 Angelique Widjaja (TOR) ============================= **LOW-RANKED LOSSES (6)** #132 Maria Vento-Kabchi (STAN) #64 Mary Pierce (US) #26 Svetlana Kuznetsova (LA) #16 Vera Zvonareva (TOR) #8 Chanda Rubin (SD) #4 Lindsay Davenport (NH) **DIMINISHING RETURNS** --The Last Five Grand Slams-- 02 Wimb 4r--lost to Hantuchova 02 US 2r--lost to Bovina 03 RG 2r--lost to Pisnik 03 Wimb 3r--lost to Sharapova 03 US 2r--lost to Pierce

"I think I'm starting to get my form back a little bit. It's normal. You can't play well for 10 years of your career... I haven't played the best tennis I can, but I think I'm improving."

Everyone cross your fingers. ============================ NEXT WEEK: 4th Quarter Outlook/Bali preview