[Tennis Fool]

Dokic and Stevenson are tied 3:3
1999-06-21 Wimbledon Grass QF Alexandra Stevenson (USA) 6-3 1-6 6-3
2001-10-22 Linz Indoor Carpet QF Jelena Dokic (YUG) 6-3 7-5
2002-08-12 Montreal Hardcourt R16 Jelena Dokic (YUG) 1-6 7-5 6-1
2002-10-14 Zurich Indoor Hardcourt R16 Alexandra Stevenson (USA) 7-6(6) 4-6 7-5
2003-07-21 Stanford Hardcourt R16 Jelena Dokic (YUG) 6-3 6-2
2003-09-29 Moscow Indoor Carpet R32 Alexandra Stevenson (USA) 6-3 6-1

Just to emphasize how far #25 Dokic has fallen, a year-and-a-half ago, she was world no. #4.

Alex, on the other hand, has floated around the top #30 for some time. (Her highest rank was #18, last year).

So what I want to know is why has Jelena had so much trouble with Alex? Are they actually on the same talent level, with Jelena historically benefitting from better coaching? Or is Jelena the better player who just has a nemesis in Alex?

There have been much speculation on Alex, so I'll stick with questions on Jelena: She is just 20. Has she peaked, is she suffering from lack of motivation? Do you think she can still find her game?

 

[GoDominique]

Right now Jelena is a journeywoman who's doing her obviously boring job. With a good draw she makes it into round 2, maybe even QF, if the match is going badly for her, she is satisfied with tanking and cashing in the first round money.

 

[CanadianBoy21]

I think Alex has more talent, but is gone mentally.
I think Jelena has no talent, and is gone mentally.
Alex goes for too much too early and misses, Jelena goes too much too early, and misses.
This matchup is who is LESS WORSE on a given day.
Tomorrow(or whenever they play) is up in the air

 

[Linda Owens]

I think Alex has more talent, but is gone mentally.
I think Jelena has no talent, and is gone mentally.
Alex goes for too much too early and misses, Jelena goes too much too early, and misses.
This matchup is who is LESS WORSE on a given day.
Tomorrow(or whenever they play) is up in the air

I think Jelena is a future no. 1 (she was only 4 rankings off it)

I think Stevenson is a nobody with a terrible game who will be out of the top 100 in a year

 

[Tennis Fool]

GoD: I don't like thinking of Jelena as a journeywoman. To me, that's a player with top 50 talent, at best. Are her problems just growning pains, you think, or problems at home?

ICare: Obviously I disagree that Jelena has no talent. I agree she is mentally not there. I think Alex is mentally tough, and is getting physically stronger. I'll go with a wait and see for the next year...

 

[Rollo]

Overall Dokic is much more talented and still has what it takes to be top 10 if she gets her head together.

The answer to your question is the surfaces. Notice all of Alex's wins are on grass or indoors-two surfaces where she is (or can be) a superior player because of her style of play.

 

[Tennis Fool]

I think Jelena is a future no. 1 (she was only 4 rankings off it)

I think Stevenson is a nobody with a terrible game who will be out of the top 100 in a year

I think Jelena is going through her "Jen period". I also think the same of Lucic.

If Alex were so bad she wouldn't be floating around the top 30 for the last three years...

 

[tennnisfannn]

Both Alex and Jelena showed alot of promise when they got to Wimbledon semis. I believe both have great talent but don't know how to win. We should judge Alex the way we judge most players in the top 30s, expect a win over much lower ranked players and the occassional upset. Some people judge her as though she is a top tenner.
jelena on the other has no busines being ranked outside the top 15. She is having a really bad year and let's hope she can get it together eventually.

 

[GoDominique]

Tennis Fool: I agree with your definition of a journeywoman. But Jelena still looks like one right now. She has no ambition to win the events she plays. She's FAR away from the top, she isn't a contender at all.
I don't know what her problems are. But she HAS some, that's for sure. It's obvious that she isn't fully into tennis right now. It looks like she just plays tournament after tournaments because she doesn't know what else to do. And her game indicates that too. No tactical improvements, no variation, just brainless clobbering. Her footwork is bad as well, so it looks like she's not putting much effort in practice.
She has to solve her problems and then think about her future in tennis, she can't go on like this because it will only get worse.

 

[GoDominique]

If Alex were so bad she wouldn't be floating around the top 30 for the last three years...

I don't think you can say that Alex "has been floating around the top 30 for the last three years". These have been her year-end-ranks:
2002-18; 2001-60; 2000-93; 1999-46.
She did nothing remarkable in 2000, she fell out of top 100 in 2001 if I remember correctly, and it only got better in the 2nd half of 2001. In 2002 she had that fantastic indoor season which brought her into top 20.
She has many points to defend in Zurich, and she has TONS of points to defend in Linz. If she doesn't have some great wins she will be out of top 50 again.

 

[crewman31]

i think for alex she just needs to get her head together becasue she has a very good game with weapons, so all she needs to do is get her game to work as one package