J. DOKIC/E. Baltacha

6‑3, 1‑6, 6‑4

An interview with:

JELENA DOKIC
 

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. Jelena Dokic for you.

Q. A week ago at Eastbourne you said you weren't thinking beyond anything other than the first round. Are you glad to have got it over and done with?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. I think it was a big difference compared to the last few months even. You know, she played well. She played good tennis. She served well. Especially after the first set, she got even better. It was always going to be a tough match. And she had the crowd with her.

I'm happy to get this one out of the way. I think if I played like I did the last few months, maybe I would have lost that match. But I played better and calmer today. I played the big points well and I served well on the big points, especially in the third set.

Q. Do you think it was a big psychological boost to get the win?

JELENA DOKIC: Definitely. I mean, I had so many matches like this the last few tournaments that I lost, so to win this one was, you know, very good for my confidence.

Q. Did you prepare mentally before the match more than usual?

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, I worked on my game a little bit more. I don't think that was a problem. But it was more mental that I was losing matches. I would just give too many free points away.

I knew she could get some free points off her serve and her game because she plays ‑‑ you know, she has a big game. So I just had to stay calm and take my chances when I had them. Which I did. I mean, I missed a few, but mainly ‑‑ psychologically I played a very good match.

Q. How difficult was it to keep calm when it appeared there were a few line calls going against you?

JELENA DOKIC: No, I don't think that was a big thing. I mean, I think she thinks she got a few against her also. It was basically fighting the opponent and fighting myself also. Because the last few tournament, especially the last one, I lost because basically I beat myself rather than the opponent beating me. It was a big thing to try to stay in the match.

Q. When did you notice a change, in the third set when you came onto your game, it is?

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, even in the first set I was a break down. I played good tennis. I was calm, I didn't panic. I just tried to slow the game down. I mean, she can hit some winners. But I waited for my opportunity. I mean, I won the first set. I had a little bit of a lapse in the second. She took advantage of it. But she played a very good third set. She was difficult to break serve.

You know, I think it was a key game at 4‑All to hold my serve. It was a very tight game. Then I broke to love. So I was happy mentally with the way that I played it.

Q. Is it fair to say that in the past you've not normally had to fight yourself at all, so in a way you're moving into new territory by learning that today?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. I mean, I haven't had a great year. I haven't played good tennis. Also mentally I haven't been that good. So, I mean, this is one of the better matches that I've played. And I knew everything would be ‑‑ you know, the crowd could be against me a little bit, and I had to ‑‑ you know, she has a good game. She could be difficult to play against. She's done well here.

I knew it would be tough, it would be difficult. I just had to play my game and stay focused.

Q. Will it help you being here, do you think?

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah. I mean, I played well here. I won a lot of matches here. I feel comfortable here.

I think even though I played against an English girl, I think the crowd also helped me. And it's just different coming here every year for me. I play better here, I think.

Q. How did the crowd help you?

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, I could have had a crowd against me completely. But, I mean, you expect it to be against you a little bit when you play against someone that's from here.

But there was still a lot of people behind me. It wasn't much of a difference. I mean, they were a little bit more on her side, obviously. But there were still ‑‑ there was a lot of people on my side.

Q. Can you remind us who is coaching you at the moment, how long that's been going on?

JELENA DOKIC: This is the third week. It's Borna. I knew him from before. I mean, he's been on the tour before. I knew him quite well for a few months. I just decided to start working with him.

Q. How is it going?

JELENA DOKIC: It's going good. You know, I think he knows what my problem is, and he's worked on my head and mentally to prepare me for matches, calm me down a little bit.

He's tried to get my confidence in my game back up because it's been a little bit low. So I think in that respect he pushes me a lot and just pushes me to stay positive.

Q. Do you think this can be a launch pad for another successful Wimbledon?

JELENA DOKIC: We'll see. I'm going a match at a time still. I don't want to get too ahead of myself because I won a match. I want to go next round. It's an important one for me. I think I have a good chance to win. So I have to just try to win that one first.

I mean, it's a long tournament, many things can happen. We've seen that already. It's only been one day of the tournament, there have been a few upsets.

So Grand Slams are always something special and different, so it just depends on the day. I mean, I want to win the next match first and then go on from there.

Q. Is there any truth in the suggestion made by your father that he and/or you would be claiming asylum during Wimbledon?

JELENA DOKIC: What?

Q. Any truth in the suggestion made by your father that you or he would be claiming asylum?

JELENA DOKIC: I never heard that. I didn't hear what he said.

Q. He was quoted back in January.

JELENA DOKIC: Why don't you ask him. I have no idea. I mean, it's a comment that he made. I didn't make that comment. I'm definitely not planning on doing anything.

It's not something that I want to do.

Q. You said at the French that you were considering whether to go back and play for Australia perhaps in the Olympics or the Fed Cup, weighing up that sort of decision. Have you come to any decision on that?

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, I have better things to think about, especially my game. I need to come back to what I was. You know, I want to get back in the Top 4 or 5 where I was, that's my priority now. Olympics and Fed Cup is a long way away.

I mean, I'm not in a situation to play Fed Cup, first of all. It's always in the middle of tournaments. It's not ideal for me to travel and play. I play enough tournaments as it is. The year's very long, the schedule's very full. So I'm definitely not planning on playing Fed Cup. I mean, it's just not ‑‑ it would just be too much, first of all.

And the Olympics, they're a year and a half away. I mean, Fed Cup I have no plans for right now. It's just not something I want to do and spend my energy on. And Olympics are not here yet. So I will think about the Olympics when it comes to that.

Q. Don't you have to play Fed Cup for your country twice in order to represent them?

JELENA DOKIC: No. I think the rules have changed. WTA has asked to get ranking ‑‑ ITF to get ranking points, and they decided not to have to play Fed Cup ties before the Olympics. I can make up my mind in the last minute.

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