I’ve got to be honest: I never would have thought that the Jelena making the quarterfinals of the 2009 Australian Open would be Dokic and not Jankovic.
The Yugoslav-born Australian, who received a wildcard after winning a qualifying event, has become the Cinderella story of this tournament. She overcame years of depression, injuries, and emotional abuse from her father to reach the final eight. Her scalps along the way: Anna Chakvetadze, Caroline Wozniacki, and Alisa Kleybanova (who took out Ana Ivanovic).
The high-quality fourth-round match between Kleybanova and Dokic ended with a 7-5, 5-7, 8-6 scoreline. She next faces Dinara Safina, who held off two match points to win over 19-year-old Alize Cornet 6-2, 2-6, 7-5. (Cornet had match points serving 5-3 in the third set.)
Lucky charms: Dokic will need all the luck she can get. She’s been pushed to three sets for all her matches so far, and rolled her ankle in the third set against Kleybanova. Will she one of the last women standing at Saturday’s final?
(image via Getty Images)
this reminded me of the high school days 🙂 i love your writing e-man
I’ll be pulling for her all the way. I’m sure she doesn’t want to dwell on the past, either! Look forward, Jelena, and know your future is bright! Hope the ankle is ok….
I’m not sure Dokic needs all the luck she can get — Safina isn’t exactly breezing merrily through the draw, and if Dokic can get past her she’ll be up against Zvonareva or Bartoli in the semis. The final could be a tough one, but since I don’t think Serena will get past her latest nemesis, Dementieva, in the semis, and since Dementieva’s had some trouble in major finals in the past, I think Dokic has a legit (if not great) shot of winning the whole damn tournament!
(Although, I gotta say I’m not certain I’d call her Kleybanova match “high quality.” Dramatic and exciting and fun? Certainly. But a match wherein both women finished with way more unforced errors than winners isn’t really quality.)
(PS: I know a lot of people have mentioned how much Kleybanova plays like Davenport — right down to the terrible posture, I might add — but doesn’t she also seem pretty Seles-y? Like Lindsay and Monica had a baby and named her Alisa?)
And Lord knows Chakvetadze is a whole lotta scalp, shew.
Loving Dokic’s story. Let’s hope it doesn’t become the next perennially-teary Henin-at-French tale. (Am I heartless?)