Tennis: Dokic enjoying comback trail

Jelena Dokic in Auckland for the ASB Classic. Picture / Richard Robinson

Comeback kid Jelena Dokic was keeping her feet firmly on the court as she looked ahead to her return to the big time.

Down from a career high singles ranking as the fourth best player in the world to 300 and plenty now, Dokic, 22, has no wild pretensions.

"My first aim is to get back into the top 100," said Dokic after arriving in Auckland yesterday to prepare for next week's ASB Classic. "If I play well maybe I can reach the top 50 by the end of the year - but, it could be better or worse."

While she does not yet have a firm tournament schedule, Dokic said she expected to play between 20 and 25 tournaments.

"That's what I played before," said Dokic in a passing reference to her former tennis-playing life. "More importantly, I have the will to play again. I want to play, I want to win.

"Before I took my break, my head was not there. I had a lot of problems in the last three years."

Not surprisingly, Dokic sees herself in much the same light as Mary Pierce and Jennifer Capriati who both fought back from off-court adversity to regain their best form and their top-10 rankings.

While her problems, like Pierce and Capriati, stemmed from stormy relationships with over-bearing fathers, Dokic made no reference to him, preferring to look ahead.

"They are inspirations. Much like them, by 20 or 21 I had had enough. It is a hard life. Now, I want play for fun. For the first time in my life I can say I'm really happy," said Dokic.

"I'm able to do my own thing without the pressure.

"Young tennis players, especially girls, are vulnerable. It is something you have to deal with."

In Auckland with her boyfriend, Dokic is on the lookout for a coach.

"I started playing again in September being able to do my own thing. I need to have a coach but I want it to be the right person."

Dokic, who happily accepted a wildcard into the Classic's main draw, opted for Auckland ahead of next week's Gold Coast tournament.

"I have been here before [for the exhibition she played with Steffi Graf in 2000] and enjoyed it," said Dokic.

"I was more than happy to come back. I was due to play here two years ago but it didn't work out."

She is not expecting any cakewalk.

"At this stage I am not looking any further than my first match.

"Confidence is the biggest thing when you haven't played for a long time.

"It is a tough field - the standard is much higher than you would normally expect for a tier four.

"It is probably as good as you see for a tier three."

Dokic, with the advantage of playing four matches in a wildcard tournament which won her a start in next month's Australian Open - her first Open start since 2001 - is hoping to carry that winning form into the Classic.

But, she is not getting carried away.

"To win one match would be a bonus," she said.


Jelena Dokic

* Born: April 12, 1983, Belgrade, Serbia
* Height: 1.75m
* Weight: 60kg
* WTA Tour singles titles: 5
* WTA Tour doubles titles: 4
* Prizemoney: US$3,747,597
* Current ranking: 349
* Career-high singles: No 4, August 19, 2002