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2001
TENNIS
MASTERS
SERIES -
ROME
May 17,
2001
J.
DOKIC/R.
Kuti Kis
6-3, 6-3
An Interview
With:
JELENA DOKIC
THE
MODERATOR:
Questions,
please.
Q. The early
departure of
Jennifer
Capriati
last night
has opened
the way for
you. Do you
feel you can
capitalize
on that?
JELENA
DOKIC:
Hopefully. I
think I did
pretty well
today. I
knew -- I
played her
before, and
she played
very well
last night
and I knew
she would be
tough to
play today.
And I'm
glad, you
know, I have
got through
and I'm
happy with
the way I
played. I
didn't make
it too long,
and
hopefully
I'll keep on
going.
Q. Do you
feel that
was your
best
performance
so far in
this
tournament?
JELENA
DOKIC: Yeah,
I think
considering,
you know,
who I've
played, I
think, you
know, she's
probably the
toughest to
play. I was
up and down
yesterday,
but today
was a lot
better
concentration
and just
generally in
my game and
my serve as
well.
Q. The last
time you
lost to her
was
obviously a
big
disappointment.
Have you
waited a
long time to
put that
right, and
are you now
friends, the
two of you?
JELENA
DOKIC: Yeah,
we're
talking. We
see each
other at
tournaments
and I think,
you know,
we've sort
of both, I
think, tried
to forget
about what
happened and
put that
behind us. I
know I have,
and I know
she has as
well. And,
you know,
we're just,
you know,
we're not
the best of
friends. We
don't see
each other
all the time
at all the
tournaments,
but, you
know, we
talk to each
other and
she's a
really nice
girl.
Q. How do
you rate
your chances
of play, and
how will you
change your
game for
this
surface?
JELENA
DOKIC: I
think for me
it's sort of
a little
difficult to
play on
clay. I
think my
game's more
suited to
hardcourts
and grass
courts, but
I think I
have
adjusted
well. I've
had a good
clay court
season so
far, last
couple of
weeks and
last couple
of
tournaments,
and I have a
couple more
before the
French Open.
So I think
I'm doing
well so far.
And there's
a few more
things to
work on,
but, you
know...
Q. Which one
is the most
difficult
for you?
JELENA
DOKIC: I
think
physically
I'm a lot
better than
I was last
year this
time. And I
think, you
know, just
generally
sometimes
I'm not
patient
enough on
clay and I
think I've
tried to
work on
that, and I
think I've
gotten a lot
better.
Q. What are
your
thoughts on
your next
opponent,
Joannette
Kruger?
JELENA
DOKIC: I
haven't
played her
before, but
she's done
well. She
beat, you
know, she
beat some
seeds here,
and I'm sure
she's
playing
well. So it
will be an
interesting
one. And I
think, you
know, that
will sort of
test my, you
know,
concentration
as well. And
just
generally I
think it's
an important
match for me
to get
through.
Q.
(Inaudible.)
In which way
do you feel
you are
still
Australian?
JELENA
DOKIC: You
know, I
think I was
born in
Yugoslavia,
and I think
that's where
I'm from and
I always
will be. But
I was in
Australia
for a long
time and I
spent, you
know, a big
part of my
career in
Australia,
so I think
it's very
hard to say.
I think I
always will
be where I'm
from and --
but I think
Australia, I
can't also
just forget
Australia
because it
played a big
part in my
life. But I
think it's
something
that I've
tried to put
behind me
and I
decided who
I'm going to
play for,
and I'm --
I've just
tried to
forget about
all that and
concentrate
on my
tennis.
Q. What is
the best
thing you
found out in
Australia?
JELENA
DOKIC: Like
I said, I
spent a lot
of time in
Australia
and I've
gotten used
to just the
people and
just living
there. And
it was, you
know, it was
great to be
there. But
like I said
again, I'm
from
Yugoslavia.
That's where
I'm from,
so...
Q. What
chance do
you give
yourself in
this
tournament,
seeing your
side of the
draw, where
you are?
JELENA
DOKIC: I
think the
next match
is important
for me to
get through,
and, you
know, if I
play well, I
have a good
chance to
get to the
final. You
know, all
the players
that are in
the draw on
my side I've
beaten
before and,
you know, I
have a good
chance to
get through.
But you
never know
what can
happen, and
I think I'm
just, you
know, going
match by
match and
try to play
better and
better on
each one.
Q. Where do
you live now
when you
don't travel
for
tournaments?
And do you
live just in
one place or
when you go
back to
Yugoslavia,
you go back
to your old
town and
house?
JELENA
DOKIC: No,
no. I'm in
Tampa right
now, in
Florida, and
I've sort of
settled
myself there
right now to
practice.
And I
haven't -- I
haven't gone
anywhere
else, I
haven't been
anywhere
else. And
whenever I'm
not playing
tournaments,
I'll be in
Tampa right
now and
that's sort
of my
residence
for now.
Q. Not in
Europe?
JELENA
DOKIC: No.
Q. What
about your
coach? I
mean, you
have an
experience
with Tony
Roche. Is
your father
your coach?
In your
mind, do you
have a
coach?
JELENA
DOKIC: No,
my dad just
works with
me now. I
think I have
a good
relationship
with him on
court
especially,
because I
think he's
guided me
through a
lot and
we've been,
you know,
through a
lot
together.
And he was
there from
the first
day that I
started, so,
you know, he
knows me the
best and I
know him and
I think we
have the
best
relationship
that we can
have right
now with
anybody. So
I'm
definitely
not looking
for a coach,
and I don't
think I want
one right
now.
Q. How
difficult
was it for
you when he
wasn't
around
during that
period when
he was
banned?
JELENA
DOKIC: You
know, it was
quite a few
months. Like
I said, I've
worked with
him from the
first day,
so it was
very
different
and I think
at the
beginning
probably a
little bit
difficult.
But, you
know, I've
learned to
-- I think
that's made
me more
mature and
helped me in
a way,
because I
sort of had
to do things
myself. And
it was hard
not to have
anybody
around like
him, so I
think it's
also made me
a stronger
person and
mentally
tougher.
But, you
know, now
that he's
back, it's a
lot better.
Q. For sure
you became
much tougher
mentally
recently,
but are you
somehow
scared or
worried
about the
idea of
going back
to England
where all
those things
happened in
Birmingham
two years
ago, in
Wimbledon
last year
with your
father? Are
you somehow
afraid about
the tabloid
writers?
JELENA
DOKIC: Not
really. I
don't think
there's
anything to
be afraid
of, you
know. If
they want to
write, you
know, what
they want to
write,
that's up to
them, you
know? And I
don't think
-- I think a
lot of
especially
the top
players
don't even
worry about
that, and I
don't think
it should be
on your
mind. And I
just -- I
think you
just got to
try and
block that
out, you
know.
Sometimes it
might be
hard, but,
you know,
tabloids and
newspapers
have their
job to do,
and I think
mine is to
be on the
court. So
I'm not too
worried
about that.
Q.
(Inaudible)...
special
friends if
you have
one?
JELENA
DOKIC: I
have a few
friends in
Tampa, where
I train, but
I think on
the Tour I
try and be,
you know,
good with
everybody. I
think
Conchita and
Aranxta,
they're, you
know, really
nice people
as well.
Q. Do you
speak
Spanish?
JELENA
DOKIC: No.
(Smiling.)
And, you
know, I try
and, you
know, you
got to try
and be
friendly to
everybody. I
think it's
very
important on
the Tour
because,
especially
if you're
going to be
on the Tour
for 10, 15
years like
they have
been, I
think it's
very
important.
Q. Conchita
and Aranxta
are a little
older than
you, even if
they are
very nice
girls. Do
you go out
with some
girls of
your age, I
mean, or to
hear music
and go
dancing?
JELENA
DOKIC: Yeah,
I guess with
some of the
players that
are my age,
I think
especially
the ones
that are
coming up,
Kim and
Justine, Kim
Clijsters.
There's a
lot of
players you
can go out
with, and I
don't think
it's very
hard to find
them.
Q. What is
the
difference
between
living in
Florida and
Australia in
terms of
tennis
facilities
or friends
or for
climate?
JELENA
DOKIC:
Generally,
facilities
are a lot
better
because I
think -- I'm
in
Saddlebrook,
and, you
know, you
have
everything
there that
you want.
And I think
it's perfect
for tennis,
and there is
a lot of
players that
live there
right now.
And I think
the
climate's
really good
as well.
Just
generally, I
think it's a
lot more
relaxed and
I think no
one sort of
bothers you,
you do your
own thing,
and I think
it's very
good for a
sports
person to be
there.
End of
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