NASDAQ-100 OPEN

March 25, 2003

Jelena Dokic

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, overall, I'm happy with this week. I had a tough start to the year and it always takes me a few matches to get going. So I was happy to get three in a row. I haven't had that in six months. So in that regards, I'm happy. I think I played my best tennis that I played the last six months, so yeah...

JELENA DOKIC: It's good. We're working on some things. I think it's getting a little bit better. Yeah, I think I haven't made that transition yet to -- I don't think my game is where I want it to be still. But we're working on things.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I hit the ball very well for the first half an hour. She got everything back. So, I mean, overall, the way that I played first half an hour, I cannot be unhappy with myself. But she just played, you know, she just got everything back and was better. After that, was hard to keep up. But overall, if I look at the first set, I think it was, you know, very close. I had chances, I missed some. But I couldn't have hit the ball any better than what I did.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, I think it's difficult to play against someone that attacks and retrieves that many balls at the same time. I think, eventually, it makes you miss a little bit more because she gets so many back. But, again, that's why I said I don't think I hit the ball bad. I think I hit the ball fine. It was just a matter of finishing the points and just not get frustrated with her getting everything back.

JELENA DOKIC: It's not there yet. I think it's pretty good. I think it's better than it's ever been. But I could still get stronger a little bit and just fitter, overall.

JELENA DOKIC: Sarasota.

JELENA DOKIC: I do, yes.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I think we're working on my game right now. I just started working with him. I don't think I have a peaking time or when I want things to happen. I think things will happen when they happen, when things start to improve in matches. Overall, I think I made a big difference from the beginning of the year to now. Hopefully, I can continue. I think I still have a lot of things that can improve. I don't expect to see anything huge still for another three months at least.

JELENA DOKIC: She played good. What can I say? I hit the ball fine. That was no problem. Again, she got a lot of balls back and she hit winners. She didn't make errors at all, hardly. So it's difficult to play against someone that does that. You know, I'm disappointed with the result, but I think overall, she just played solid. So I cannot say that I beat myself too much.

JELENA DOKIC: I think she's -- you know, she's gotten very close. She has beaten Serena, so you always have to give her a chance now. I think it would just be who's better on the day. Serena's played very well since the Australian Open, so it just depends who plays better and how the conditions are.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, I think she's improved everything. I think she's also -- she's raised the bar a little bit also from the other players. I think fitness-wise also. She's, you know, she's been playing very well and she's very confident right now and you can see that.

JELENA DOKIC: Scottsdale.

JELENA DOKIC: No.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I think Venus has gone down. I think the fact that maybe she hasn't won a Grand Slam and that Serena's dominating, I think we can see a little bit of a lapse in her game. I don't think she's as solid as she was before. But, you know, she's still done I think well this year, and I think, though, I don't think she's where she was, I think, maybe a year ago.

JELENA DOKIC: No, no.

JELENA DOKIC: They were fine last year. I don't know, I mean, clay's clay, I think. So I think it was okay. I think it was -- I had no problem. I was always on center court, so they made that -- I think it was pretty good.