March 2009

An Australian Ace

After a miraculous career comeback the former world number four, Jelena Dokic, talks about smashing her way back onto the court

WORDS CARRIE HUTCHINSON

She was a dim memory for most Australian tennis watchers: a talented young player who fell spectacularly from grace. But now Jelena Dokic is back in fighting form, and the nation is ready to fall in love with her again.

There’s no denying the Australian public loves a sporting underdog, and every January when the Australian Open rolls around, there’s always a certain player who becomes the anointed one, who wins the hearts of the crowd and those watching on television. Who could forget the groundswell of support for Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the 2006 tournament, when he advanced through the rounds before being beaten by world number one Roger Federer in the final? Or the 2007 Open, when Aussies everywhere jumped aboard the “Wayne Train”, hoping that veteran Wayne Arthurs could summon a miracle in his final local tournament (he succumbed to injury in the third round)?

This year, of course, it was all about Jelena Dokic, the 25-year-old Croatian-born player, who moved to Sydney in 1994. It’s no secret that Dokic has had her personal and professional ups and downs — a long fight against depression after being the number four-ranked female player in the world in 2002 — so no one really expected too much when she walked onto the court on 18 January to play Austria’s Tamira Paszek.

“I didn’t really know what to expect when I won the wildcard,” says Dokic in the weeks after the Open. “I just wanted to go out and play my best and be competitive. I don’t like to make plans or goals, like reaching a certain stage in a tournament.”

Not only was she competitive, but Dokic beat some of the world’s best, including Anna Chakvetadze and Caroline Wozniacki, to advance to the quarter finals, where she lost in three sets to the eventual tournament runner-up, Dinara Safina. Along the way, a clearly emotional young woman won over fans by opening up about the troubles she’d faced down. The spectators’ reactions, however, were the least of her concerns before she stepped out onto the court for that first time.

“Before the game I was really focused on the match, and I was more nervous about the game and playing well than anything else,” she remembers. “But as soon as I stepped out on the court I was amazed by the crowd’s reaction, because the support was so tremendous. It was so overwhelming, almost a little bit too much and too loud at times! Even when I went at the change of ends to sit down, people were screaming behind me. It was absolutely amazing.”

It wasn’t really the reaction she was expecting, having, at the urging of her father, symbolically dumped her adopted country in 2001 to play for Yugoslavia. “I came back to Australia two or three years ago, and obviously I didn’t expect them [the crowd] to be on my side and to understand what happened seven years ago. I can say that I made [that decision] under difficult circumstances, but I will regret leaving for the rest of my life. It will always be the mistake that I made. But the reaction of Australia has been really amazing. The crowd has just gotten better and better every year, everywhere I play, but I think the Australian Open was an amazing experience. It’s been the best that I’ve ever had.”

Dokic credits her comeback with the help of two brothers, her coach Borna Bikic and his brother Tin, who has been her boyfriend for the past five years. The men could be seen enthusiastically barracking for her from the side of court throughout her Australian Open run. However, the pair stayed almost silent while the press ran stories focussing on her personal life and past, such as her reconciliation with her mother and brother Sava.

The tennis star first met Borna and Tin six years ago after parting company with her father. Even then, he still continued to comment on all aspects of her life, and the young player’s confidence suffered tremendously. Tin, particularly, helped her through the bad times.

“It’s been really tough to deal with some personal issues,” she says. “My boyfriend has always been there for me. It was actually our five-and-a-half year anniversary during the Open. We always give each other something, and this year I gave him a win at the Australian Open. He’s played a huge part in everything. It’s not easy to come back and be strong and able to compete and play — it’s really tough. So I really had to work on and build that. He’s dealt with all that and stuck by my side.”

After the Open, Dokic’s ranking rose 96 places to 91, and she was part of the undefeated Australian Fed Cup team that last month progressed through to the World Group II play-offs (set to take place in April).

Her star has been shining so brightly she has picked up a lucrative new sponsorship deal from Jetstar.

The country, however, was lucky to see her re-entry into the tennis world. It was only 18 months ago that Dokic seriously considered retiring from the professional circuit. “I actually made the decision to quit tennis halfway through 2007, and about four days later I changed my mind,” she explains. “It was mid-year, at Wimbledon time. It was a hard time. I’d gained a lot of weight. I was completely out of shape. But in the end I really love playing and that’s what brought me back to the game.”

For now, the player who still calls Melbourne home despite an international schedule is keen to keep going, hopefully all the way back to the top. “Maybe it’s because I’ve had to deal with so much off the court, [but] now for me, at the end of the day, it’s just a tennis match; there’s a lot worse stuff out there,” she says of the new maturity that is helping her cope with the pressures of life on tour. And she’s itching to see what the rest of 2009 might hold. “It’s only the start of the year. I think I can only get better from here.”

Jelena Dokic’s Favourite Jetstar Destinations:

“Melbourne’s home, so I always have a soft spot for Melbourne. It has a great vibe and is just so relaxed. I really like to be there when I’m back home in Australia.”

“I hope to take a Jetstar holiday at the end of the season and would love to go to Hawaii. I’ve only been there once before, but I remember the shopping and the weather and the beaches. It will be nice to go back.”