JELENA-DOKIC.com
March 10, 2004
JELENA CORNER
by Todd Spiker
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SLEEPING
WITH ONE EYE OPEN
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At this point, it's difficult to even remember when
trouble DIDN'T seem to be lurking around every corner
(with a lower-case "c") for the Fair One. One never
knows who'll come at Jelena Dokic in the middle of the
night (or day) with a lethal racket in hand.
Last week in Qatar, it was Jie Zheng. Who knows
who'll be next. As a result, sleeping with one eye
open has become the standard operating procedure in
these parts. It might be too early in the year to be
up, forever on guard, all night long... but no one can
afford to fall asleep, either. Least of all Jelena
herself.
She's 4-4 on the year... and never has a won-loss
record been a clearer barometer of a player's
of-the-moment condition. Over the course of four
events, the Fair One has been good, and bad. Hot, and
cold. Healthy, and injured. Confident, and
doubting. Seemingly on a rocket-lauched ascent, then
just as quickly exploding on the launch pad. No one
can be excited by Jelena's play in 2004, but it's hard
to be wholly pessimistic (at least not yet) about
things, either. So, essentially, we're left to do
this:
(in case you can't see, I'm opening my arms and
shrugging my shoulders)
What Jelena will do next is a mystery. Lose a 0-6
set? Take a 5-0 lead (twice)? Nearly squander it
(twice, also)? Win anyway? Lose the very next day?
Yes... on everything, and anything.
The one thing we do know is that Jelena has finally
arrived on American shores for the remainder of this
1st Quarter to take part in the month-long, two Tier I
binge that will take place before thoughts turn to
clay & grass and, yes, "EuroJelena!"
Will it make a difference? Maybe. Maybe not.
Will Jelena find at least one more two-win event in
March? Maybe. Maybe not.
What do I truly believe will happen?
(I'm doing it again)
INDIAN WELLS,
CALIFORNIA USA
Pacific Life Open
March 8-22
Tier I; Hard Outdoor
#9 seed
2r vs. Leon Garcia/Panova
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...one can take some solace in the fact that Jelena's
mediocre 1st Quarter numbers are actually quite
"normal" for her at this time of year. Also, that 4-4
mark consists of a 1-3 record in Tier II events, but a
3-1 standing in the season's previous Tier I. Indian
Wells is the second (Miami, in two weeks times, will
be the third).
Hope? Could be. But no matter what March brings,
at least a little pickup is needed in Jelena's game.
In her serve. In her consistency. In her
point-by-point confidence. Her situation has yet to
turn dire, but she certainly needs to experience a few
reassuring moments in America to provide some peace of
mind and maintain a safety net that'll prevent an
ugly, hard fall. As long as the Fair One believes the
process of her improvement is an ongoing project (and,
judging from her recent comments, she still does), it
likely will remain just that. If she were to lose
that hope... well, 2003 might look like child's play
by comparison.
In other words... "just win, baby."
Indian Wells' draw might provide the opportunity.
After a 1st Round bye, the #9-seeded Jelena will face
the winner of Tatiana Panova/Gala Leon Garcia.
Panova, remember, is the one player against whom
Jelena never wavered in 2004 (winning 6-1/6-1 in
Tokyo). A 3rd Round match could bring Daniela
Hantuchova, who's fallen outside the Top 30 (though
she did win this event in 2002). In the 4th Round,
the highest-seeded player in Jelena's section in Nadia
Petrova, who's finally returning to action this week
after another month-long injury-related absence (she
hasn't won a match since Week 1).
If Jelena gets the chance to look that far into the
draw, Indian Wells will have provided her with a
wonderful spark of life. The net would therefore be
firmly established.
But will it be?
(you guessed it... I'm doing it once again)
