*** Jelena-Dokic.com was
visited by Jelena and her agent ***
Here
Comes the Sun
by Todd Spiker
As Jelena Dokic readies herself in the Florida sun for the
long season ahead, the sun Down Under pays no heed.
Jelena or no Jelena, it's rising on the 2002 WTA schedule
even as we speak. Great things surely await us over the
course of the next eleven months, but it just doesn't feel
the same without her, does it? Maybe it's something in the
way she moves, or a reason far less tangible.
Whatever it may be, our racquets gently weep in anticipation
of her return. But be heartened by this fact: that moment
of truth we impatiently await is now but three scant weeks
away.
*ONE YEAR AGO*
Jelena opened 2001 ranked #24. With her game in top form,
she hinted at her upcoming success by opening her season by
winning the Watson's Water Challenge exhibition in Hong Kong
with a 7-6,6-3 Final win over Anna Kournikova. It was her
first singles title of any kind since turning pro in late
1998. She also won in the doubles with Olga
Barabanschikova.
*THE DRIVE FOR #5*
#5 Clijsters - leads by 485
#6 S.Williams - leads by 224
#7 Henin - leads by 121
#8 JELENA - 2780
#9 Mauresmo - trails by 15
#10 Seles - trails by 474
*JELENA NOTES*
...When Justine Henin failed to defend her Gold Coast title,
Jelena gained 88 points on the slight Waffle (and nows
trails by just 121). Henin won in Canberra in 2001, as well,
but will travel to the Tier II in Sydney this week rather
than defend that Tier V crown. She'll have a tough draw
(Clijsters in the QF, Hingis in the SF, Serena in the
Final), so Jelena could actually pass her in the rankings
this week if Henin goes out early....Normally, that might
mean a new career high of #7 for Jelena, but with #9 Amelie
Mauresmo just 15 points behind and playing in Sydney this
week that probably won't happen. Mauresmo will likely
temporarily surpass Jelena (though she is set to face Serena
in the QF), potentially bumping our favorite Yugoslav to #9
if Henin has a good week, as well. ...With #10 Nicole Arendt
winning a doubles title in Auckland, #12 Jelena is now 208
points from being the only woman on Tour to be ranked in the
Top 10 in both singles and doubles. Retiring Nathalie
Tauziat is still included in the WTA rankings, but when she
drops off the computer Jelena will move up one spot (and, at
the moment, that would mean she'd be just 40 points behind
now-#11 Sanchez Vicario and the Top 10/Top 10 feat).
***WTA WEEK 1***
Player of the Week: Venus Williams
Risers of the Week: Francesca Schiavone & Nadia Petrova
Surprise of the Week: Anna Smashnova
Veteran of the Week: A.Sanchez Vicario
Newcomer of the Week: Su-Wei Hsieh
Downers of the Week: Mary Pierce & Sandrine Testud
FINALS
Gold Coast (III)
...Venus Williams def. Justine Henin
Auckland (IV)
...Anna Smashnova def. Tatiana Panova
Hong Kong (exhibition)
...Jennifer Capriati def. Elena Dementieva
Hopman Cup (ITF exhibition)
...Spain (Sanchez Vicario/Robredo) def. USA (Seles/Gambill)
WEEK 1 - TOP MATCHES OF NOTE
1.G.Coast Final - V.Williams def. Henin...Venus has won 20
straight matches
2.H.Kong Final - Capriati d. Dementieva ...Jen ready to
defend Oz title?
3t.Hopman Cup RR - Francesca Schiavone def. Seles; Schiavone
def. Clijsters ...Italy didn't win the event, but Schiavone
was the shining star
4t.G.Coast 2r & QF: Nadia Petrova def. Meghannn Shaughnessy;
Petrova def. Siliva Farina Elia ...Jelena's
sometimes-doubles partner knocked off two Top 20 players
before retiring in the SF agains Venus with a shoulder
injury.
5.Auckland SF - Smashnova def. Kournikova...Anna K's
comeback got off to a good start with wins over Cara Black
and Amy Frazier, but 25-year old Anna S. was too much for
her. Smashnova went on to win her 3rd career WTA singles
title.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
...Nadia Petrova, after defeating Farina Elia despite an
in-match shoulder injury: "I'm just a fighter, and I
thought, 'No way. I'm not going to give it up.' I told
myself, 'No matter what happens, I am just going to the
end.'"
...Anna Kournikova, after defeating Emmanuelle Gagliardi in
the Auckland QF despite losing the 1st set: "I was playing
on will. She was playing great, and I was just fighting.
That's my game -- I fight for every
point." Hmm, she sounds like Jelena, doesn't she? The
difference: Kournikova lost her next match.
...Venus Williams, after defeating Patty Schnyder in Gold
Coast 1r, her first match since the US Open: "I really
couldn't believe the shots I was making."
...Venus, discussing sister Serena's love of on-line
shopping: "Every day packages come in the mail for Serena.
I put them on her side of the house."
*WEEK 1 NOTES*
...Mary Pierce returned from her injury-induced 7-month
layoff. After winning her first match against Barbara
Schett in Hong Kong, she was forced to retired from her SF
against Dementieva with another leg injury.
...15-year old Su-Wei Hsieh defeated Evie Dominikovic in the
Gold Coast qualifying.
...Sandrine Testud followed up her career-best 2001 by
losing in the opening round of Gold Coast.
...Arantxa Sanchez Vicario won her first Hopman Cup title
since 1990.
*WEEK 2*
FEARLESS PREDICTIONS
(wk.1 - 2 of 4 winners correct)
(wk.1 - 4 of 8 finalists correct)
Sydney (II) - S.Williams def. J.Henin
Hobart (V) - Rita Grande def. J.Kruger
Canberra (V) - Schiavone d. Tanasugarn
COMING UP...
Next Week: A preview of the (Jelena-less) Aussie Open
In 3 Weeks: Jelena begins her 2002 campaign at the Tier I
in Tokyo
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