WIMBLEDON

July 4, 2000

J. DOKIC/M. Serna
6-3, 6-2

An interview with:

Q. How does it feel to be in your first semi at Wimbledon?

JELENA DOKIC: Oh, it's indescribable, to do it two years here in a row, the tournament that I love so much. You know, I've sustained my form throughout, you know, the whole tournament, have played well. To get through the one today was, you know, great for me. I knew she was always going to be tough, a left-hander. But I played, you know, well when I needed to.

Q. Why do you love it so much here, other than the fact you keep winning?

JELENA DOKIC: It's just got something to it. I really like this place. I don't think it's because I've done so well here. I think I just like the people and the tournament. It's just, you know, an amazing tournament, one of the best ones in the world. Like I said, besides the fact that I do well here, even if I didn't, it's a really good tournament. I always seem to play well here.

Q. Does it mean as much as last year in terms of proving you weren't a one-off wonder last year?

JELENA DOKIC: I think a few of us did well here last year. You know, not all of us continued. I struggled a little bit after Wimbledon last year. But I've, you know, gotten my form back, I've played well and done, you know, really well in tournaments. To come back here the next year and do even better than what I did last year is unbelievable.

Q. Did you suffer from nerves today more than in the previous matches?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think I was a lot more nervous today than I was in the previous ones because I knew how much this one meant to me. You know, I really wanted to get through this one, and I knew I had a chance. You know, sometimes you get really tight in those situations. But I think I kept calm and kept my nerve. Mentally I was tough and won those games that I needed to, those really important points.

Q. You warmed up in a park this morning in Putney.

JELENA DOKIC: It was a long afternoon. I knew it was going to be a long day. I had to do a few things, a few things that I wanted to work on. You know, that was one of them.

Q. Bishop's Park?

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know.

Q. Have you done that before?

JELENA DOKIC: I did it once or twice. It's a good park to do something in.

Q. Who was there with you?

JELENA DOKIC: I just did some fitness training. I did a few things on my serve with my dad.

Q. Why do you think this surface suits you so well?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think my game's suited to this surface. It's a fast surface, the one that suits the attacking players, the aggressive players. That's my type of game. That's probably why I do really well here. I like this surface myself. The way I play, it suits me.

Q. Is it almost a relief to be getting some headlines for your tennis again, considering what's happened in the last six months or so?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely. I think you always want to be in the headlines for your tennis. To get into the semis, you know, to do it again at such a young age, I think it's great to do it again, to be in the media, in the press again.

Q. Are you at the point now where you begin to think that anything's possible?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think, you know, coming into the tournament, I was thinking -- you think, it's great, quarters or semis. But when you really think about it, it's whether you're going to win a Grand Slam or get to the final or not. I know I have a tough opponent next one, whoever gets through. You know, I've got nothing to lose. They're the ones that should be worried. I've played really well, you know, and mentally I was really strong in my matches and beat the players that were tough. The one today was tough, as well, but I think I didn't let her get into the match. You know, you do get to the point where you think, "Is this really possible? I'm in the last four in a Grand Slam." You know, it's amazing what goes through your head thinking, "I could be in the final, maybe even win it." I think I'm a long way away from that yet. The other side's very tough, as well. Even if I do get through the next one, it will be even tougher in the final.

Q. Can you talk about playing Lindsay and Monica separately for us?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, they're both big hitters. I've played Monica in Rome this year. I had a tough three-set match. Probably the one I should have won. I had chances. I've never played Lindsay. Like I said, whoever gets through, they should be worried, not me. I'll go out there with nothing to lose.

Q. Have you a preference for which one you'd rather play?

JELENA DOKIC: Not really. Like I said, they play similar type of tennis. Considering that Lindsay won this last year, she'll probably be very tough to beat. But, you know, it really doesn't matter to me. You know, whoever gets through, I like their type of game, I'll just go out there and play my own game.

Q. Just in case it's Monica, was she your role model when you were growing up?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, she was. She was probably somebody that I looked up to when I was younger. You're always careful when you play those types of players because you don't know what to do when you go out there. You know, like I said, I've played her once already. I learned a lot from that match that I lost because I probably took it a bit easy when I did have chances, probably thinking, "Well, she should beat me, not me beat her." I think I've learned from that. If it is her, I think, you know, I'll probably have a chance.

Q. Did you have posters on your wall?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, I think I did. Not recently. Yeah, I think I did. Like I said, you know, it's always tough to play somebody like that, that you did look up to, because you respect them so much.

Q. Patrick Rafter talked about when he was a little boy, he used to get up at 2:00 in the morning to watch Wimbledon. What are your earliest recollections?

JELENA DOKIC: I still did that about two years ago, I think. Yeah, I mean, I really enjoy the game that I play. I used to always -- I think I watched the French and the Aussie Open final when she played Steffi. Not just them two, but I used to watch everybody play. I think even now, you can learn a lot from those matches. I think it means a lot to you to watch those types of matches. It helps me. I used to watch everybody all the time.

Q. Patrick Rafter said this was the one as a child he wanted to win first or most. Did you have a Grand Slam out of the four that was more significant to you?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think everybody wants to win this one because, you know, it's just a tournament that everybody, you know, respects the most and wants to win the most. You know, I think for me, if I win any one of the four, I'll be happy. But I've still got a long way to go. Hopefully I will win this one.

Q. Is there any concern perhaps that you haven't had a good, solid test so far - you haven't dropped a set - considering how much you'll have to step up coming into the next match?

JELENA DOKIC: I think, you know, I haven't lost a set because I've played well, and I didn't let the opponents get into matches. I did have a 7-6 where I was down a break, trailing the whole time, which sometimes gives you a test. I think I probably haven't, you know, gotten tested yet because I kept, you know, pressuring the opponents. I know the next one will be tougher, but you deal with that when you get to it.

Q. Off the court, away from tennis as a young person, what do you think your greatest strength is?

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know. I mean, I haven't thought about that one. You've got me. I don't know. I mean, I was always mentally strong. I think I have good self-esteem, as well. I think not just outside of tennis, I think that's really important in tennis, as well. I think not everybody can be a tennis player. Especially to be at the top, as well, you need to have discipline and everything. You know, I think I was very good at that.

Q. Do you feel like your game is right there now with Venus, Serena and Hingis, or do you think you have a little while longer to go?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I've beaten most of those that you just mentioned. Even this year I have. I think, you know, when I do play well, I'm up there with them. I don't doubt myself at all. You've got to believe that you can beat them. I think that's why I do so well against the top players, because I believe I can beat them. I go into matches thinking I can. I don't look at who's at the other side of the, you know, court, what they're doing. I concentrate on myself. Like I said, I definitely think so. I've beaten a lot of the top players.

Q. Whatever happens on Thursday, it will be the biggest payday of your career. Was that a consideration today? Were you playing for the money or the glory?

JELENA DOKIC: No, I wasn't even thinking about that. I don't even know how much I get. That's not something I worry about. Like I said earlier, it was probably a match that I wanted to win the most, meant the most to me, to get to the semis of a Grand Slam. It's a Grand Slam, most important. To do it two years in a row, to do so well here, was important. But money definitely wasn't a concern for me. You know, you win, you get it. Fine, great. But I was playing for the fact to get into the semis and, you know, play either Monica or Lindsay.

Q. Financially could you tell us a little how in the last 12 months your life has changed? Family moved to a bigger house, you have a four-wheel drive.

JELENA DOKIC: Yes.

Q. What have you been able to buy and do for yourself?

JELENA DOKIC: I'm not somebody who spends a lot really. I think from what I used to have, it's a big difference. I mean, I don't worry that much about that. You know, it's mainly -- that's not what motivates me so much. It's the fact to win and the glory of everything, to play on a big occasion like Thursday. It definitely changes your life. You know, you go to a different level of life. You just buy different things, a lot more expensive, obviously.

Q. Earlier in your life, do you remember a time when you first said, "Maybe someday I can play at Wimbledon, in the pros"? Do you remember a time like that?

JELENA DOKIC: I think once you do decide to play, you know, seriously, that's something you aim for. I played the junior Grand Slams, did very well in those. You know, I finished No. 1 in the Juniors. That's when you think, "I want to play the Grand Slams. I want to play the Wimbledon, do well there." I think once you do decide to play seriously, that's always something you hope for, and that's always something you aim for.

Q. Are you going to go out and watch this match?

JELENA DOKIC: I've got doubles to play.

Q. Tomorrow what is the plan?

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know. Probably have a bit of a hit and just relax, you know, get ready for Thursday.