WIMBLEDON

June 26, 2002

Jelena Dokic

JELENA DOKIC: I had a good first set, but I made a few mistakes in the first game of the second on my serve and I lost my serve. I think that's where things turned around. And she kept on getting better and better, and I was getting too defensive. I was too tight and too nervous. You know, when you lose the second set, no matter how good you played in the first, you know, you're even. You know, it was difficult, and the court wasn't great. She's not easy to play. She hits the ball very flat. You know, when you get in a third set, you know, it's not easy to play her. And I lost to her before. So, you know, I had to try to find a way to get back. You have to try to win when you're not playing well.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely. When I got broken at 5-All, I was really mentally down because I had so many chances in the third set to get up 3-Love. But she played three, four very bad points there, so I was lucky there. You know, after that I was on top again.

JELENA DOKIC: No. I mean, I played a good first set. It was quick. So I thought maybe I would win a little bit easier. But she got better. She isn't easy to play against. I don't know. When you get into a situation when it's a third set in a Grand Slam, you know you're supposed to win, you know, it's not so easy.

JELENA DOKIC: I think it's always a warning the last few years in the Grand Slams, in the tournaments. I think the matches are getting so much tougher. You know, you always have to be awake. There's no easy matches. There's no 6-Love, 6-Love or 6-1, 6-1. You know, it doesn't exist anymore. So you have to be ready early on. There's so many good players. You know, I think for me, I mean, being two points away from losing, and coming back, I'm just glad that I won the match. You know, I actually thought I lost already pretty much. So, I mean, it's not a good thing to say, but, you know, it's not easy.

JELENA DOKIC: You know, it's tough when you're supposed to win because the pressure's on you. And when you have some players that just go out and, you know, hit, you know, don't worry about anything, then it's not so easy. But then sometimes you feel like you have the edge over them because you're supposed to win. So there's both sides. You know, I've been in situations where I wasn't supposed to win, and I've been in situations where I'm supposed to win. So I've had both. It's just very mental. Tennis is very mental. So you have to get over that and try to go out there and play.

JELENA DOKIC: It was very slippery. I haven't played on a grass court like that at Wimbledon. I've played a few matches here, but it was very slippery. The grass, it wasn't so good. Maybe from the men's match before, I don't know. But I've never seen it that way before.

JELENA DOKIC: I'm not worried about that. I'm just going a match at a time. You know, the next one's important for me. I've done well here, so, you know, as a seed, you know, I'm supposed to be in the quarters at least. So it's a long way to go still. I'm just going a match at a time. You know, see how well I can do.

JELENA DOKIC: Definitely. I think I'm a different person. I mean, my life has turned around and changed a lot since then. You know, I'm glad I did what I did. I don't regret anything. And I'm a much better person. I'm a lot happier. The last year and a half, you know, have been amazing, and I've done well, and I'm happy.

JELENA DOKIC: I don't think so.

JELENA DOKIC: It is. I've stated my reasons already for that. Right now, you know, I don't feel like I'm going to go back. I don't want to go back at this stage. You know, I doubt things would change, but you never know.

JELENA DOKIC: Well, Grand Slams, you know, you play a lot, especially when you're in all of the events. I've tried to cut back and not play doubles or mixed or anything. I think the schedule's very full right now. Whether it's a Grand Slam or any other tournaments, there's a lot of tennis to be played. I think mentally and physically, you burn out quickly. I've tried to just play singles. You know, on my days off, just try and, you know, see tennis as less as possible, just go and do other things. Otherwise, you know, I'll be out of here in two, three years. So I don't want that.

JELENA DOKIC: I mean, you go to movies. You just try and go and do other things, try not to be at the tennis courts all the time.

JELENA DOKIC: He has always been an influence to me, you know, a huge one on and off the court. You know, I wouldn't have got here without him, and I have everything to thank him for. You know, I love him the way he is. You know, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am. So, you know, he hasn't been traveling that much in the last year or so. He has other things that he's doing. But, you know, he's still my dad and my coach and everything. He always has been and he always will be.

JELENA DOKIC: No, we've moved to Yugoslavia completely.

JELENA DOKIC: Yes.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely. You know, we thought about that a lot, and I've always wanted to go back. That's where I'm from. I'm happy with that decision. You know, I love being over there. Like I said, you know, I wouldn't have -- you know, we wouldn't have moved and made the decision if, you know, we weren't a hundred percent sure. So I love being over there. I love everything about it. You know, I think it's showed in my tennis, too.

JELENA DOKIC: No.