TMS - ROME

May 19, 2001

Jelena Dokic

JELENA DOKIC: Thank you. Thanks.

JELENA DOKIC: I think I was too relaxed at the beginning.

JELENA DOKIC: Yes. I lost my concentration and made a few errors. That's what she likes and that's what she waits for. So I had to get myself together and, you know, hold my serve at 2-love and, you know, start again and try and break her and go on from there.

JELENA DOKIC: Well, a little bit. I think, you know, it's a big event and going into it I think -- I didn't think I would have been in the final. But I play match by match, and, you know, I just played better and better. And with each match I got better mentally and my confidence just grew every time. You know, I stepped on the court, I believed in myself that I can win a match.

JELENA DOKIC: I didn't care really. I didn't look at the draw. As soon as she lost, I knew there was an opening at the bottom there, but, you know, you still had Martinez in the same half and she's a tough clay courter. But definitely there was a chance to get through, and I knew if I played well that I could get to the semis and maybe to the final.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, definitely. You never know what she's going to do, and, you know, in that backhand, she can top it and slice it, and her forehand's her strength. So it's definitely tougher and it's harder too, you know, when she keeps lifting the ball up, it's a lot harder to try and attack and try and force an error. So that's why I think I've played her a few times and I lost to her every time, and, you know, it was always tough for me and I didn't think I was mentally as tough as I was today.

JELENA DOKIC: Well, I think I always had something with her in my head that, you know, I always -- I lost to her once and twice, and I had a chance to beat her and I didn't beat her. So it was starting to be more mental than anything else. So this was very important for me to win. And not just to win, but it was on clay also which is probably her favorite surface and my least favorite, so... But I think that's where I've improved over the last, you know, six months or so. I think my game is a lot better and at a higher level than where it was before.

JELENA DOKIC: Uhm, I don't know. It's not an issue for me right now. I think that's the last thing on my mind, and I don't think I'm concerned with that or thinking whether there's a condition or not for me to play for Australia again. So I don't think it's an issue right now and I don't think -- I don't think I will change my mind.

JELENA DOKIC: Yeah, I think we played a lot of singles matches against each other, but we played the last couple tournaments doubles with each other so we know each other well. And, you know, I think it sort of has -- you sort of have a different approach to it when you know a person. And I think, you know, I think us too, if I was to lose today or win, I think we're always going to be the same, the same friends. And I think we have a good relationship in doubles right now, we're doing well. And I think whether we, you know, win or lose, I think it won't change much.

JELENA DOKIC: Maybe a little bit, but I think she's in the same position, you know. She's playing against me and she's playing doubles with me and she has big experience at that. You know, she's been on the Tour, you know, five times more than I have, so I think, you know, she would also feel the same way.

JELENA DOKIC: No, no. (Smiling.) I think we both knew we had to play each other and we just tried to, you know, win doubles and play well, which we did. Even today, this morning, we just were in the locker room, you know, we laughed with each other. We knew we had to play each other. Whoever wins or loses, we have to go back out and play doubles again. And I think, you know, you're gonna play, you know, a lot of opponents a lot of times like that, you know, 10, 15, 20 times maybe. So I think it doesn't make a difference.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I think, you know, sometimes she plays; sometimes she doesn't. She hasn't played the last few tournaments. I think she just decides, you know, before a tournament how she feels. I don't think she's going to play much doubles anyway because I think she's just concentrating on the singles right now. But it wasn't a decision. I think we might play again, I don't know. It's something we decide on when it comes to it.

JELENA DOKIC: It's definitely up there, you know. This is the -- I think the best form and the most consistent I've been so far in this clay court season. I've had three very good tournaments, singles and doubles. And I think I've matured a lot, so I think, you know, and now that my tournaments have opened up, it's a lot easier. I think this is definitely, you know, one of the, you know, best performances that I've had so far, you know, I think besides the Grand Slams. Because -- and it's also the surface. I think it's not my favorite surface, so I've had to adjust to that as well. So it definitely rates as one of my, you know, best ones right now.

JELENA DOKIC: Seventeen. (Laughter.) I don't know. She's always been a really big name, just like Aranxta I think. And, you know, I think she played a long time before I even, you know, touched a racquet so I think, you know, through my childhood I've watched her play, heard of her of course, but it was -- I think it's always something, you know, when you finally get up there, to play those players. I think you got to try to put in a really good performance. And for me to play singles against her, win or lose, and play doubles with her is a really great thing. Not just with her, but with a lot of the other top players as well.

JELENA DOKIC: No, I think it was -- one of the tactics was to stay calm because she can drive you crazy sometimes with the way she plays. So I think straightaway when I went into the match, I knew I had to keep calm. Even if I missed some shots or I got down in the match, I had to stay with it. And I knew if I played well, I could have a chance of beating her. It was something that I thought about and tried to do, and try and be patient.