Jelena hires new coach

By Pierre Cantin
Date: 31/10/2001

World no 8 Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia has shown that not only has her tennis game started to mature over the last few months but also her outlook on tennis itself.

During the Womens AT&T Rogers Cup Tennis Event, Dokic, 18, hired Japanese fitness trainer Mike Nishihara to work with her.

Since then the improvement in Dokic's fitness and strength has been undeniable however after losing to Lindsay Davenport in Sunday's final in Linz, Dokic realised she still had a long way to go.

'Lindsay played great out there but I didn't play that well. I know I've still got a long way to go, a long way to improve. I may not have beaten her today but I know I'll be able to beat lindsay soon' said the disappointed Dokic.

Dokic has taken her lead and now hired a permanent coach to travel around with her on the tour.

Radmilo Armenulic will now work with Dokic on a permanent basis. He believes that Dokic still has a lot of room for improvement.

"Jelena is already a good player and I can help her". "She work so hard on her fitness and movement but not it's time to work on her game"

Armenulic says that he'll begin by working through the flaws in the Dokic serve. "Jelena is too up and down. She don't go into the court and rotate her shoulder" said Armenulic.

Armenulic says another point of concern that will be addressed immediately is Dokic's net game and variety. "Jelena can volley good but she have no confidence. I teach her to go to net and finish point. Also, when Jelena lose, she don't know anything else to do, just hit, hit hit. I teach her to slice, topspin, make the ball magic" said Armenulic.

Armenulic says that Dokic's potential is unlimited and once they get rid of the flaws and improve her game, anything is possible. "We make Jelena game better, we teach her patience, tactics, court smarts and who knows, she could be no 1 one day"

Dokic said she felt that she could only improve. "I feel that now with my trainer and coach, I'm ready to make my career the best it can be"

It is understood that from next year, only Dokic's coach and trainer will travel with her as her parents, Damir and Lilijana look after younger brother Savo in Florida.