Dokic Wins First Title In Nine Years

AP

Unseeded Jelena Dokic of Australia poses with her trophy after defeating No. 5 seed Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 7-6(9) 6-4 in the championship match at the WTA Malaysian Open tennis tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, March 6, 2011. Dokic saved two match points

"Lucie beat so many good players to reach the final this week. I don't know how I came back against her today," Dokic said after the match. "This is my second time in Malaysia - I was here 10 years ago for the first time so it has been a while. But I've been here nearly two weeks this time and it has been fantastic.

"I don't know where I pulled it out from today but I did. I even surprised myself... and when you start winning matches and titles, your appetite only gets bigger."

Face Of The Day

Indian Wells Semifinals Open Thread

AP

The men come down to two today. Andy Roddick takes on Robin Söderling, and big surprise Ivan Ljubicic takes on defending champ Rafael Nadal.

Last night, Caroline Wozniacki out counterpunched her good friend Agnieszka Radwanska, while Samantha Stosur couldn't subdue Jelena Jankovic in the day session.

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Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
[6] R Soderling (SWE) d [4] A Murray (GBR) 61 76(4)
[7] A Roddick (USA) d [18] T Robredo (ESP) 63 75

Women's Singles - Semifinals
[2] C Wozniacki (DEN) d [5] A Radwanska (POL) 62 63
[6] J Jankovic (SRB) d [8] S Stosur (AUS) 62 64

Men's Doubles - Semifinals
[1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) d J Isner (USA) / S Querrey (USA) 64 62
[WC] M Lopez (ESP) / R Nadal (ESP) d [6] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 64 64

Women's Doubles - Semifinals
[3] N Petrova (RUS) / S Stosur (AUS) d [6] B Mattek-Sands (USA) / Z Yan (CHN) 63 62

Practice Shots

Getty

Jelena Dokic of Australia speaks with her coach Borna Bikic during a practice session ahead of the 2010 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 15, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia.


Getty

Juan Martín del Potro of Argentina takes a break during a practice session ahead of the 2010 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 14, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia.

Face Of The Day

Prison guards escort Damir Dokic to the courtroom for the retrial, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009, in Ruma, northwest of Belgrade, Serbia. The father of tennis player Jelena Dokic, Damir Dokic was sentenced recently to 15-months in jail on charges that he "endangering the security" of the Australian ambassador in Belgrade and unlawful possession of weapons, but a retrial was ordered after a higher court annulled the first verdict.

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BCR Open Romania

Singles - Second Round
[3] J Monaco (ARG) d [Q] P Riba (ESP) 64 62
S Greul (GER) d [6] D Koellerer (AUT) 61 64
[8] P Cuevas (URU) d P Luczak (AUS) 75 64
M Gonzalez (ARG) d O Hernandez (ESP) 75 36 61

Doubles - Quarterfinals
[1] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) d D Koellerer (AUT) / J Levinsky (CZE) 63 64
[2] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d [Alt] F Gil (POR) / D Munoz-De La Nava 60 63
[3] J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Rojer (AHO) d [WC] M Copil (ROU) / H Tecau (ROU) 64 67(7) 10-8
[4] P Cuevas (URU) / M Granollers (ESP) d A Pavel (ROU) / G Trifu (ROU) 75 60

Open de Moselle

Singles - Second Round
[1] G Monfils (FRA) d [WC] S Grosjean (FRA) 61 61
[4] P Petzschner (GER) d [WC] M Llodra (FRA) 76(3) 63
J Tipsarevic (SRB) d [8] I Ljubicic (CRO) 64 76(3)
R Gasquet (FRA) d C Rochus (BEL) 75 46 62

Doubles - Quarterfinals
R Schuettler (GER) / M Zverev (GER) d P Marx (GER) / B Phau (GER) 62 62
P Kohlschreiber (GER) / P Petzschner (GER) d [2] R Hutchins (GBR) / J Kerr (AUS) 75 67(5) 10-7
C Fleming (GBR) / K Skupski (GBR) d [3] C Kas (GER) / R Wassen (NED) 63 36 11-9

Doubles - First Round
[WC] T Ascione (FRA) / M Gicquel (FRA) d Y Lu (TPE) / J Tipsarevic (SRB) 76(3) 26 10-7

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HANSOL KOREA OPEN
Seoul-KOR

Singles - Second Round
(1) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) 61 61
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) d. (3) Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 61 12 ret. (right hamstring strain)
Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) d. (5) Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) 46 76(4) 63
(7) Vera Dushevina (RUS) d. Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) 75 61

Doubles - Quarterfinals
(2) Chuang/Yan (TPE/CHN) d. Petkovic/Rybarikova (GER/SVK) 46 63 1210
(3) Kleybanova/Makarova (RUS/RUS) d. Grandin/Haynes (RSA/USA) 63 63
Chan/Spears (TPE/USA) d. (4) Jans/Rosolska (POL/POL) 63 76(4)

TASHKENT OPEN
Tashkent-UZB

Singles - Second Round
(2) Shahar Peer (ISR) d. Kathrin Woerle (GER) 62 64
(4) Olga Govortsova (BLR) d. Vesna Manasieva (RUS) 62 63
(Q) Alexandra Panova (RUS) d. (7) Patricia Mayr (AUT) 75 61
Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) d. Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) 46 75 76(4)

Doubles - Quarterfinals
Govortsova/Poutchek (BLR/BLR) d. (1) Senoglu/Shvedova (TUR/KAZ) 64 46 104
Diatchenko/Dzehalevich (RUS/BLR) d. (2) Amanmuradova/Kustova (UZB/BLR) 62 16 108
Ar.Rodionova/Savchuk (RUS/UKR) d. Fedak/Manasieva (UKR/RUS) 61 61

Dokic Has Mono

Tennis Australia confirms:

A mystery ailment that has plagued Jelena Dokic since the end of the French Open has been diagnosed as mononucleosis.

The Australian had blood tests after her Wimbledon loss and the results came back earlier this week. Doctors have told her to do nothing but rest for at least a fortnight.

“I am disappointed to have to pull out of a couple of events but I am also relieved to finally know what was wrong,” Dokic said today.

“It has been so frustrating since the French. My natural work ethic is to get on court and train hard with intensity. I just haven’t been able to do that, and until now, I didn’t know why.

“This only makes me more determined to get everything right and work even harder as soon as I can get back on court, which will hopefully be in time for a good solid hard court lead up to the US Open,” she said.

The world number 76 is hopeful of a return to competition as soon as possible.

What is it with tennis players and mono?

If It Wasn't For Bad Luck

Getty

No luck at all.

There's just nothing else to say about Jelena Dokic, my newest love, having to retire with a back injury en route to a potential upset over Elena Dementieva.

No luck at all.

Faces Of The Day

AP

Rainer Schuettler of Germany returns the ball to Gilles Simon from France during the match between Germany and France in the red group of the Tennis World Team Cup in Duesseldorf, Germany, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.

Singles Round Robin Matches
R Schuettler (GER) d G Simon (FRA) 64 64
R Soderling (SWE) d S Querrey (USA) 62 62
A Vinciguerra (SWE) d R Ginepri (USA) 75 64
J Del Potro (ARG) d A Seppi (ITA) 63 64
V Troicki (SRB) d E Korolev (RUS) 62 62
J Tipsarevic (SRB) d S Vovk (RUS) 62 64

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Interwetten Austrian Open Kitzbuhel

Singles - Second Round
G Garcia-Lopez (ESP) d [5] M Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 46 64 63

Singles - First Round
[2] J Melzer (AUT) d F Gil (POR) 63 60
O Hernandez (ESP) d [4] F Santoro (FRA) 62 63
[Q] J Chela (ARG) d [6] M Gicquel (FRA) 57 63 60
[LL] J Benneteau (FRA) d [8] D Sela (ISR) 75 61
[WC] S Koubek (AUT) d P Petzschner (GER) 76(8) 64
D Junqueira (ARG) d [LL] P Capdeville (CHI) 63 62
R Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) d [Q] M Ancic (CRO) 64 63

Doubles - First Round
[1] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) d [Alt] J Brunstrom (SWE) / J Rojer (AHO) 75 76(2)
C Kas (GER) / A Peya (AUT) d [3] M Granollers (ESP) / B Soares (BRA) 63 62
A Pavel (ROU) / H Tecau (ROU) d V Hanescu (ROU) / J Levinsky (CZE) 76(5) 36 11-9
J Knowle (AUT) / J Melzer (AUT) d E Butorac (USA) / P Petzschner (GER) 62 67(5) 10-8
L Arnold Ker (ARG) / O Marach (AUT) vs [WC] M Kohlmann (GER) / P Oswald (AUT) 64 67(5) - to resume Wednesday

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AP

Austria's Jelena Dokic returns a shot to Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru during their first round match of the WTA Warsaw Open tennis tournament in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, May 19 2009.

Singles - First Round
(5) Sara Errani (ITA) d. (Q) Greta Arn (HUN) 62 16 76(2)
(6/WC) Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d. Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) 36 63 63
Urszula Radwanska (POL) d. Mariya Koryttseva (UKR) 63 36 63
Jill Craybas (USA) d. Edina Gallovits (ROU) 36 75 63
Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) d. Patricia Mayr (AUT) 64 61
Klara Zakopalova (CZE) d. Melinda Czink (HUN) 36 64 63
(Q) Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) d. Jelena Dokic (AUS) 64 63
(Q) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) d. (Q) Agnes Szatmari (ROU) 63 64
(LL) Darya Kustova (BLR) d. (LL) Lenka Tvaroskova (SVK) 64 61

Doubles - First Round
(2) Yan/Zheng (CHN/CHN) d. Gallovits/Govortsova (ROU/BLR) 61 62
(4) Bondarenko/Bondarenko (UKR/UKR) d. (WC) Kosinska/Rosolska (POL/POL) 63 60
Amanmuradova/Kustova (UZB/BLR) d. Kapshay/Tvaroskova (UKR/SVK) 61 61
Goerges/Olaru (GER/ROU) d. Dekmeijere/Senoglu (LAT/TUR) 75 64

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Internationaux de Strasbourg

Singles - First Round
(1) Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) d. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 16 63 63
(Q) Viktoriya Kutuzova (UKR) d. (5) Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 63 60
Julie Coin (FRA) d. (6) Elena Vesnina (RUS) 64 62
(Q) Monica Niculescu (ROU) d. (7) Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) 46 62 63
Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS) d. (8) Nathalie Dechy (FRA) 60 67(5) 63
Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) d. Maret Ani (EST) 63 75
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) d. Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 76(5) 76(2)
Lucie Hradecka (CZE) d. (Q) Jasmin Woehr (GER) 36 61 62
Stephanie Foretz (FRA) d. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 61 26 62
Stephanie Cohen-Aloro (FRA) d. Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 46 64 61
(Q) Yuliya Beygelzimer (UKR) d. (WC) Claire Feuerstein (FRA) 06 76(3) 63

Doubles - First Round
Daniilidou/Woehr (GRE/GER) d. (1) Chuang/Tanasugarn (TPE/THA) 64 76(2)
Beygelzimer/Sun (UKR/CHN) d. (3) Niculescu/Uhlirova (ROU/CZE) 64 64
Birnerova/Hrdinova (CZE/CZE) d. Salerni/Yakimova (ARG/BLR) 63 63

Strike A Pose

Jelena Dokic, from an upcoming photo spread in an Australian sports magazine. Oh, the lawns. I can't wait....

She's looking a lot like a young Jennifer Jason Leigh, one of my favorite actresses. Savannah has more.

Quote For The Day

"Yeah, I mean, definitely made the right choice [in coming back to tennis]. I have really fought well this week. I have no regrets. I just would like to keep it going. I really would like to keep it going. I really think I have a chance at it.

"Like I said, I played well with a girl who's No. 3 in the world today. I can still really take positives out of today, even though some of the points and the shots that I played at some stages of the match were maybe not right.

"Yeah, I mean, I just have to just keep on working hard basically."

--Jelena Dokic

I'm Falling In Love

With the comeback kid. What a match. What atmosphere. How did Jelena Dokic even finish her 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 victory after rolling her ankle?

That was among the gutsiest matches on the WTA I've ever seen.

Huge kudos to Alisa Kleybanova.

Gobsmacked.

Fireworks?

The official site is reporting that Jelena Dokic and Alisa Kleybanova have been practicing together all week.

Their fourth round match in prime time is going to be a barn burner.

Quote For The Day II

"No, I mean it, I'm sorry.

"We've had a lot of difficult situations. I think we all know that. I made it difficult for myself and Tennis Australia and Craig Tiley. There's no excuse for that, no matter what I was going through.

"I've done some things that I'm not proud of. I cannot change that. I said that to everyone. I can just look forward from here, look into the future, and try to really work on things and work on our relationship."

--Jelena Dokic, to her screaming and chuckling fans after upsetting rising star Caroline Wozniacki to advance to the second week in the event's most stunning comeback

The Other Jelena

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)—Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic won a wild-card spot at next month’s Australian Open by beating Monica Wejnert 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3 in a playoff on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Dokic, a former No. 4 in 2002, fell behind 3-0 in the opening set but recovered for the win in a playoff organized by Tennis Australia to allocate the spots for local players.

She will now attempt to qualify for tuneup tournaments in Brisbane and Hobart before taking her place in the main draw at Melbourne Park beginning Jan. 19.

“I don’t have to worry about the Australian Open now,” Dokic said. “I came into here wanting to play qualifying but to be in the main draw gives me two tournaments before the Open to play.”

A series of injuries and personal problems, many of them involving her father Damir, accompanied Dokic’s ranking plummet to 617 in 2006.

But she won three second-tier titles this year and has improved her ranking to 179—her first time inside the top 200 in four years.

Dokic moved to Australia with her family in 1994 but renounced her former home in 2001 and took up citizenship in her native Serbia. She decided to play again for Australia in 2006.

She was a semifinalist at Wimbledon in 2000, losing in straight sets to Lindsay Davenport, but made bigger headlines there the year before when, as a 16-year-old qualifier, she beat No. 1 Martina Hingis in the first round.

Dokic, who has five career singles titles, said she no longer speaks to her father, who has been kicked out of the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and other tournaments for volatile outbursts. When the family left Australia, Damir Dokic also implied that the Australian Open draw was rigged against his daughter.

Will this comeback go anywhere?