Andrew's Doha report

Jelena's season took a turn for the worse with two poor performances against players she should have beaten easily at Doha this week. :mad:

She had seemed to have put her slump of 2003 behind her with an amazing run to the final of Zurich (beating Kim Clijsters in the semis) last October, and reaching the semi-finals of Tokyo, her first tournament of 2004.
Her loss against Elena Bovina at Paris seemed to be just "one of those things" against a dangerous opponent, and I was even prepared to dismiss her 6-1 6-2 loss to Petra Mandula at Dubai as an abberation.

But the way she struggled past Nicole Pratt 0-6 6-3 6-4 in the first round of Doha - after leading 5-0 in the second and 5-0 in the third too - and then crashed 6-4 6-1 to Zheng Jie (Zheng is the surname) in the second round, suggests that her form and confidence are currently as low as they were in the middle of 2003.

Jelena after beating Pratt:
"It was an up-and-down match. I just didn't play in the first set. The match before mine [Martínez v Barna] was quite long and I kind of felt sleepy. She played well in the first set, but I started to focus better in the second and I am happy that I won."

Jelena after losing to Zheng:
"I could have won if I had served better, but somehow I lost my rhythm and I kind of got bogged down there. I know that I am going through a slump. It'll take some time for me to start playing well and win matches."

Zheng after beating Jelena:
"I am feeling good. I will remember this victory for the whole of my life. I didn't expect to win today because Dokic is a good player."

Modest words from the world #77, but the phrase "lost to a player who has never been a player and, I guess, probably never will be" arises in my mind! ;)

Photos:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040302/photos_sp_wl_afp/040302205815_a8vg06g5_photo0
http://editorial.****************/source/CFW/details.aspx?iid=3039094&print=true

http://www.qatartennis.org/ladies/gallery/main.php?dispsize=Original&mode=view&album=2004%2FOn+Court&pic=docic-s.jpg
- 4 photos: click on the bottom-LEFT arrows to keep going

http://www.qatartennis.org/ladies/gallery/main.php?dispsize=Original&mode=view&album=2004%2FOpening+Ceremony&pic=opening-h.jpg
- click on the bottom-RIGHT arrows to keep going)

Jelena had her left thigh strapped, but it looks like her major problem was a lack of form and confidence. Right now she seems more troubled than Daniela Hantuchová, even though Jelena is currently ranked #15 while Daniela is #35. These two nearly-21-year-olds should be spearheading my fanship this year, and I hope they will both have great runs at Indian Wells.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/dokic/

http://www.jelena-dokic.com/board/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jelena_Dokic_Players_Lounge_II/

Come on Dokic

I still think Hantu is in a worse situation. Dokic had 2 bad tournies recently but her groove is back. I haven't seen Hantu playing well in a very long time. I think she did well in Tokyo, though. But Dokic did better and it was her first tournie

I still think Hantu is in a worse situation.

oh please dont say that...its not THAT true is it? :rolleyes:

Of couse Hantuchova is much more well prepared than Dokic. She's fit (Dokic is still suffering from an injury on her thigh, I think so) and her confidence is back (defeated Molik and Sharapova in Tokyo, her last tournament, cuz we cant take in consideration her Paris performance, when she won a match cuz of a retirement and she withdrew in the 2nd round).

But Dokic is still a Top player, and she'll always be. She's kinda crazy and when she wants to play, she does it. When she wants to win a match, she also does it. So, it's very very hard to make predictions on Jela's match, cuz she can go from hell to heaven, beating the #1 Clijsters and losing to players out of Top 100.

But I still think, if Daniela meets Jelena in IW 3rd round, that the Slovakian girl will win. But who knows?

We just cant wait!
I just know it's really sad :sad: to see 2 of my 3 favourite players facing each other so early in a tournament :crying2: :)

Come on Dokic

I still think Hantu is in a worse situation. Dokic had 2 bad tournies recently but her groove is back. I haven't seen Hantu playing well in a very long time. I think she did well in Tokyo, though. But Dokic did better and it was her first tournieI'm a big fan of both girls, and I disagree that Jelena did better than Daniela in Tokyo.

Jelena's Tokyo:
1r + Cara Black (WC) 3-6 7-6 6-1
2r + Janette Husarova (Q) 7-6 6-7 6-1
qf + Tatiana Panova 6-1 6-1
sf - LINDSAY DAVENPORT (2) 1-6 0-6

Daniela's Tokyo:
1r + Alicia Molik 6-1 6-7 7-5
2r + Maria Sharapova (http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/shara/) 7-6 6-1
qf - LINDSAY DAVENPORT (2) 2-6 2-6

I really hope Jelena and Daniela do meet in the third round of Indian Wells - it would be a mouthwatering match! :lick: I think Daniela would have had the edge on Tokyo form, and the Daniela of Tokyo would easily beat the Jelena of Dubai and Doha.

Jelena has a poor record at Indian Wells (only won two singles matches in three appearances), whereas Daniela has beautiful memories of Indian Wells 2002 when she won her first (and latest) WTA singles title.

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/ (http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/)
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/dokic/
http://www.geocities.com/andrewbroad/tennis/hantu/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeldani/ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeldani/)