MIAMI, FLORIDA

March 26, 2001

J. DOKIC/A. Coetzer
6-3, 7-5

An Interview With:

Q. Jelena, straight sets against Amanda. You must be pretty happy with that effort?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. I played well and I think she did today, too. I mean she hardly made any errors. It was really tough to play tennis against her. You had to try to finish the point each time, which was hard to do. Even after the first set, she just started lifting everything up deep which was even tougher to go against. But, you know, I'm really happy with the way I played and with the win.

Q. Has it surprised you a bit that having taken so many weeks off that you've moved into the quarterfinal stage here in your first tournament back?

JELENA DOKIC: Maybe a little bit, but I think it's helped me because I've had two months' practice. I've worked on my game and my fitness, and I think I've gotten in shape and, you know, I've been playing lots of points, you know, a lot of match situations when I've been practicing, and just working on things that I need to work on, finish points off, and just, you know, just really work on my fitness because I think that's what's gotten me through a few matches. And, you know, I seem to -- I feel like I'm moving really well and I think that's the key to my game.

Q. How do you feel about the next round?

JELENA DOKIC: You know what, I have nothing to lose. Quarterfinals is great for me, but, you know, I don't know. It will be interesting to see. I mean, you never know what you can expect. Whoever gets through, I don't know who's going to get through, but if Venus does, I'm just going to have to go out there and, you know, try and do my best and see what, you know, she comes up with. If she plays well, it will be tough to beat her. But, again, all the pressure's on her. I'm not supposed to win this match anyway, just like I wasn't today. And I like, you know, a match where, you know, I go in as the underdog.

Q. That was actually my next question. Do you like being the underdog?

JELENA DOKIC: Sometimes you do, but then sometimes you want to go into the match being a favorite. You feel really good about yourself because you're supposed to win a match and your game is real good. But sometimes it's better to go in as an underdog, especially against somebody like Venus or, I don't know, Serena, whoever it is, the top players. Because you have nothing to lose. Sometimes you never know what can happen with nerves.

Q. In Australia there's a report that said Leslie Barry has tried to speak with you either last week or this week. Can you tell me if that has been the case and what happened with the conversation, if it did happen?

JELENA DOKIC: I haven't spoken to anybody. I think I made my mind up earlier in the year and I made that clear and, you know, I haven't even thought about it since. So I'm just concentrating on my tennis.

Q. The WTA ban on your father finishes in just a few days' time. What are the plans there? Is he going to go back on the road with you?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. Definitely, I think so. You know, I'm actually looking forward to that because, you know, these last two months that I've been, you know, off the road has really helped me. He's worked on my game a lot and my fitness. And that's why I think I'm in a lot better shape than I was last year or early in the year. That's what helps me win these matches and that's why I'm playing so much better. It will definitely be great having him there.

Q. Which will be the first tournament?

JELENA DOKIC: Amelia then Charleston, then I go to Europe.

Q. So you go to Europe, he would go back on the road as it was before?

JELENA DOKIC: Yep.

Q. And with him not being around, what have you missed the most?

JELENA DOKIC: I think, you know, it's always hard when you don't have anybody that's worked with you your whole life, especially in something like tennis, because he knows me the best and my game the best and he's always worked with me. But I think I've coped with it well, and, you know, I seem to, you know, to play fine whether there's someone there or not. I think it's you playing out there, and that's basically what matters. 0f course it's always better having someone out there with you helping you.

Q. When you made the move before you left Australia, you said that you'd also be setting up the base in Yugoslavia. I think the other day you said the base would be here in Florida?

JELENA DOKIC: Right now it's here. I haven't had any time to do anything else. This is the, you know, main base. I can go anywhere from here, and it's a lot closer. But about anything else, I haven't thought about that yet because it's too soon and there are a lot of tournaments coming up, like three, four months of nonstop tournaments so I'm just going to leave it right now. And it's probably something that I would do, probably have a couple of bases. It's a lot easier, makes it easier. But I haven't had time to do that yet.

Q. Just finally, on the next match, if it is Williams, what will you have to do with that one? There's the height difference, the power difference. What would you have to do in an effort to win it?

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think it's just, I don't know, I think it depends what she plays like. If she plays well, I mean, it's very hard to cope with that, and if she serves well. But I'm just going to have to see. I mean, if she doesn't play well, I think attacking her second serve is one of the things I'll be looking at, and just, you know, try and force the play and not let her dictate because that's what she likes to do, her and her sister. And they're good at that because they have the pace. So sometimes, you know, I'll be probably on the defensive a little bit more than I've been in my matches, but it's something you've got to cope with and I'm just going to try and make her play everything.