US OPEN

August 28, 2003

Jelena Dokic

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, I felt like maybe I should have been off the court earlier. I mean, she was playing well. You know, she could have finished the match in two sets. Especially she had a match point. And I was lucky to turn it around. I was starting to play better. She missed a few. Then all of a sudden the match turned. You know, it's disappointing, for sure. But that's tennis. You know, it's just not my year, it looks like (smiling). I have to go on, you know, learn from this.

JELENA DOKIC: I really rushed at 5-1. At 5-2, 5-4, when I served, I mean, I got really tight. I waited for her to miss, and I shouldn't have done that. You know, I thought the match was over. You know, next time, I mean, I'm sure if I had that opportunity again, it wouldn't happen. I have to learn from that.

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, I've had losses where I was up. But, you know, having 5-1 in the third, such a bigger match, is disappointing. I haven't had anything like this. You know, I guess I'll just -- you have to take this. It's over now. Learn from it.

JELENA DOKIC: Whether I lose here or win, it won't make a difference whether I will play another Grand Slam. Whether I will go to Australia or not, I mean, a loss like this will not decide. This is not what I make my decision on. You know, there are a few other factors that come into play, but definitely not whether I lost here or not.

JELENA DOKIC: Nervous. I was confident when I broke her at 1-All to go up 2-1. I won three straight games. I was playing really well. I was attacking. She couldn't do anything. Okay, she held serve at 5-1. She served well. But I shouldn't have let her get away with two breaks, 5-2 and 5-4, serving. I think I even had 15-Love at 5-4. I think where I made a mistake was at 15-All where I had a really high ball, I should have hit in the air. I got really nervous. That's basically why I lost. I got tight. I lost the match myself; she didn't win it. I beat myself.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I mean, a few. I mean, I had a few double-faults. But she was returning well. So I was going for a little bit more. This is normal. When you have someone that was playing as well as she was, you know, you expect this. But I served well to pull off the second set. Generally the serve was not great, but it was good. She was just hitting winners. Even off some of my good serves that I was hitting, she would be there. So it's difficult when you play a player like that.

JELENA DOKIC: What?

JELENA DOKIC: At 6-5 in the third, I hit two aces at deuce and ad on a second serve. I mean, I was going for it. You know, sometimes you do this. Sometimes I didn't, but some I did.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, sure. I mean, I think he's really changed my game and improved the way I think on the court, how I play. I've had some really tough losses this summer, but I think generally my game is better than it was at the beginning of the year. Yeah, I mean, I just have to keep on working. This is a tough loss for me. Mentally, it's very tough. But I have to go on.

JELENA DOKIC: It was not the game; it was a problem with my head basically. I lost the match. I just got too nervous. I think it's a lack of matches, lack of confidence to be able to finish a match like this. And when I'm able to do this, you know, I'll be back where I was before. I had a few matches this summer that were like this, exactly the same. You know, I have to get over this.

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, usually mentally I'm a tough person. Usually I have no problems with that. I think just the fact I wasn't doing great this year, there's a lack of confidence, and this happens.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, I mean, I played her last year and she was much worse than she was now. She's lost some weight and she's moving better. I mean, I knew what I had to do. But it's difficult when someone is hitting it as hard as she is. And she was still moving very well. Even on my own serve, when I was trying to attack, she would be, you know, hitting return winners. She was still playing well. I don't think there was a great strategy. A strategy to move her is fine, but she was hitting winners all over the court. So , you know, even though her fitness is not there, she's been injured, I think she's playing better than she was.

JELENA DOKIC: I don't know. I mean, she's playing well. How far she can go depends how she recovers after matches, what her injuries are, whether they'll come back. Just depends. She's playing well. I'm sure she knows that. She's been playing better and better. You know, whether she can be someone that gets to the semis or the final is a different story. I mean, you have Justine and Kim. I think there's still a little bit, you know...

JELENA DOKIC: She hits it harder than anyone, for sure. But there are other factors that come into play, like movement and everything. You know, I think she can do well.

JELENA DOKIC: For sure, yeah. I mean, some of the shots she hit, I didn't see. But, you know, Serena and Kim move better, better serves, sometimes returns. So this is the difference between 1 and 20.

JELENA DOKIC: It just hasn't been. You know, you can't play well every year. I think I played a lot of matches the last few years, so maybe mentally I got a little tired, and physically. It happens. Then if you lose one or two tournaments, your confidence goes down, you lose a few more, keeps on going.

JELENA DOKIC: For sure. I would deal with it much tougher before, you know, when I was younger. Now, I mean, you have to take this. There's no point of me getting down. It could affect me for the next few tournaments or few months. So, I mean, this was a big chance, and I had a good draw. But, you know, that's the way it is. You know, I'm sure it will make me a better player, a tougher player. You know, now I know. Maybe next time if I get in a situation like this, it won't happen. You know, I usually deal with it fine. I'll be down for a few days, but that's what it is. You have to go on.

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, sure, a few things have changed in my life. That's nothing new. Well, but it's all new. I mean, I haven't been in this situation before. A lot of things that have happened is new. It's different. There are events that go on off the court. You know, sometimes this can affect the player. I usually deal with this fine, but it's a new territory for me. You know, it's all come at the same time, in the same year. That's fine. I mean, I just have to -- I mean, I work hard still. I love to play. Hopefully it will come back.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, sure. I mean, I could really get down after today and say, "Look, this is not -- I don't want to be out there anymore." But I'll be out there practicing again. You know, I think sometimes you need to really go down to come back up even stronger. You know, I take losses hard anyway. I will take this one really hard. But, you know, I think, you know, I have to just forget it.

JELENA DOKIC: No, Monte-Carlo.

JELENA DOKIC: Yes.