THE MILLENNIUM CHAMPIONSHIPS

WIMBLEDON

July 6, 2000

L. DAVENPORT/J. Dokic
6-4, 6-2

An interview with:

Q. Any particular reason for the delay? Were you just getting ready (referring to 30 -minute delay in arrival at press conference)?

JELENA DOKIC: Just getting ready - nothing.

Q. How do you feel about the match? Clearly you were in it for a while, but then she got on top.

JELENA DOKIC: Well, yeah. I mean, I didn't play obviously as well as I could have, probably as well as I wanted to play. That's what I'm disappointed with. I could have done much better than what I did. You know, she got through it. That's what counts.

Q. How difficult is it to play somebody who is so much bigger? She's eight inches taller. How hard is it to play someone physically bigger than you?

JELENA DOKIC: I never faced her before. That was probably one aspect where I was a little bit surprised, had to get out there and play somebody like that. When you look at her at the other end, big like that, opponents have trouble with that. She uses it well, too, on the court. That's probably why I wasn't in the match that much. Probably that's why, I mean, I didn't play as well as I could have because I was probably more worried about that than anything else.

Q. Is she sort of quite intimidating as a figure?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think she is. For most players she probably is. But, you know, that's probably not an excuse for, you know, how you play. You should just go out there and play your game.

Q. Was the occasion a factor at all today?

JELENA DOKIC: Maybe a little bit, it was. Maybe there was a few nerves. I think I got rid of them. Looking back at the match, that's probably why I didn't play as well, because I was thinking about the occasion and about who I'm playing. It sort of takes over a little bit.

Q. How do you feel about this entire tournament for you? Obviously you're still pretty proud of what you achieved?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, with getting to the semis, doing one better than last year. As a result, I'm overall glad with what I've done this tournament. You know, I'm sort of disappointed with, you know, the match today.

Q. Overall, does it give you any extra inner strength knowing that you achieved what you did under not really normal circumstances? You had the drama with your father last week, you got rid of Tony Roche before this tournament. It wasn't exactly an easy road for you off the court. Does it give you any extra pride, considering those factors?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, overall, again, getting to the semis in this tournament, overall result is quite good. I've got a lot of confidence coming from this tournament. Hopefully I'll use it in the next tournaments. I think, like I said, my level of tennis is probably raised over the last couple of months. You know, hopefully I'll do, you know, well in the coming tournaments. But like I said, overall, this tournament, result-wise, it's been fine, it's been good.

Q. What do you need to add to your game? Is it a bit more variety, the volley? What do you need to do to compete with Lindsay Davenport?

JELENA DOKIC: I think a bit more variety would be useful. I mean, it's hard to do it against players like Lindsay because she doesn't give you much at all because she basically dictates the whole time, and you've got to try to get on top of her. I mean, there's always something you can improve on, especially in your game. There's always a stroke you can improve on. I think overall, I mean, I hit the ball quite well. You know, just mix a few things up in my game, work on a few things. But I think that will hopefully come overtime.

Q. Do you think your father has enough tennis expertise as a coach to take you where you want to go?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, well, I think both of us, you know, know what I need to do. It's not very hard to figure out when you know your game, you know what to work on, you know where you win matches and where you lose matches. I think definitely working, us two together, we know what I have to do. If I do in every tournament as well as I did here, there's not much more you can improve on.

Q. Who would you call as a winner between Venus Williams and Lindsay Davenport more?

JELENA DOKIC: I think it just depends, you know, how well they're both playing. But maybe Lindsay will get through it. You know, she's been here before, did it last year. But anything can happen. Venus has as well of a chance as Lindsay does.

Q. A lot of talk about the Williams sister, how they played each other. Any chance maybe in a few years' time that Savo and yourself will play mixed doubles here at Wimbledon?

JELENA DOKIC: I doubt that. I don't know. He's not that much into it. You never know what can happen. He might all of a sudden start. You never know.

Q. So your dad hasn't got a plan yet?

JELENA DOKIC: Not really. He does karate. He's very good at that. He has a black belt. He just sticks to that. He likes tennis, but I don't think he wants to do it. But, you know, he's still at an age where he can start, no doubt about that.

Q. What is the plan now? Are you going to hang around for a day or two, relax in London?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I'll probably go back tomorrow, have a few days off hopefully.

Q. Back to Australia?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. Then, you know, get ready for the hard court tournaments.

Q. The family moved house last year after you came back from Wimbledon. What's the plan with the money this year?

JELENA DOKIC: We didn't move at all. I don't know. I don't worry about that type of stuff. That's not something I play for, something I worry about too much. I think it just comes as, you know, you get better.

Q. What is on your hard court schedule for the summer?

JELENA DOKIC: Canadian Open, New Haven, and the US.

Q. What did your dad say to you after the game today?

JELENA DOKIC: I haven't seen him yet. I (did/didn't?) speak to him about it, obviously. I mean, I know how disappointed I am. But that's just something you've got to deal with. Hopefully I'll learn from it and use it next time.

Q. Although you're happy to work with your dad, are you looking for anyone else to augment the team? If so, who would you be looking at?

JELENA DOKIC: I'm not looking for anybody at the moment. You know, I've worked with a few coaches before. Like I said, you know, I think I myself know what I need to do, and so does my dad. We both know my game more than anybody. I know exactly what I need to work on, you know, how to win matches. I know where I lose matches as well. There's not that much more that you can really do. I think both of us know how I should be playing and what I should be doing.

Q. Is the get bigger than you thought perhaps to the top players or is it just a one-off today?

JELENA DOKIC: I think, again, as I said, I was disappointed with my performance. I think, you know, in that first set, a few points would have made a big difference probably. You know, but losing the first set, I was a little bit out of the second one as well, lost a few crucial points on my serve, turned it around. But I think, you know, I've beaten top players, I know what to expect from them. I think, you know, with a few more improvements, I can be up there. I think between myself and the top, hopefully there's not a huge gap. But, like I said, I've beaten, you know, a lot of top players. I know what to expect and what they play like.