Australian Open director says Dokic still in field
PERTH, Australia (AFP) - Australian Open organisers were clinging to the
hope that world number 15 women's player Jelena Dokic may still contest
the event.
The Open's tournament director Paul McNamee, who also runs the Hopman Cup
international mixed teams event here, said he did not know what Dokic's
plans were for the January 19-February 1 tournament in Melbourne.
"There's some hope but it's up to her if she's able to get on a plane and
come down," McNamee said. "She hasn't pulled out of Melbourne yet so that's
a positive."
Dokic has withdrawn from next week's Sydney International tennis tournament
in Sydney, raising fresh doubts she will end her self-imposed exile Down
Under. Dokic also withdrew from the Auckland Classic in New Zealand last
week citing personal reasons.
She told organisers of the Sydney tournament she has not had enough training
for the event, although she has reportedly been training in Barcelona for
the last month.
Other unconfirmed reports have suggested she has tax problems in Australia.
Her father Damir told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper Thursday that she
would not contest the Australian Open.
Damir said his daughter still believed Australian tennis officials conspired
against her by pitting her against Lindsay Davenport in the first round of
the 2001 Open, a claim vehemently denied by tournament organisers.
The 20-year-old's participation in Sydney would have been her first
appearance in Australia since 2001, when she stormed out of the country
claiming the Australian Open draw had been rigged.
Since then she has represented her birthplace, Serbia, the country her
family fled as refugees when she was a child.
"Obviously she's still sorting her affairs out," McNamee said.
"Let's wait a little bit. She's still in the field right now so I'm not
going to speculate. If she was going to withdraw she would do it well
before qualifying starts."
Qualifying for the Open starts next Thursday.
http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040108/323/eill7.html
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